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CENTENNIAL. 






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SETTLEMENT, FORMATION AND PROGRESS 



DAUPHIN COUNTY, 



PENNSYLVANIA, 



FROM 1785 TO 1876, 



>RE?ARJ-jD under the direction of the commissioners of said county, 

BY GEORGE H. MORGAN, of Harrisburg. 




HARRISBURG, PA 

TELEGRAPH STEAM BOOK AND JOB PRINTING HOUSE 

1877. 



TO THE READER. 



The Commissioners of Dauphin county requested the "Dauphin County 
Historical Society" to superintend the publication of this Centennial State- 
ment, respecting the settlement and progress of the county from its forma- 
tion in 178.5 to the year just closing. The committee appointed for the pur- 
pose on behalf of the Society, complied with the request of the Commission- 
ers and have carefully examined and read the work; in portions of it deter- 
mining many questions in the orthography of proper names; adding a few in- 
cidents, which it was supposed would be interesting; scrutinizing with some 
care dates, changing some from those heretofore accepted: in every instance 
with the intention to make the work a safe reference. In the style of compo- 
sition and arrangement of material, very slight alteration has been made. 

Upon perusal the reader will observe that from the necessity of con- 
densation and arrangement as to bidk, a detailed history of the county could 
not be expected. This work, therefore, does not profess to be that, but the 
material brought into form here, and in the very valuable preparation of town- 
ship maps up to 1848, their publication in 1864, are acts so commendable and 
useful, that great praise is due those who conducted the affairs of the county 
in 1848 — in 18G4 — in 187(5, for the contributions they have made toward a com- 
plete history of Dauphin county. The County Commissioners of these dates 
were : 

1848 — John Shell, Jacob D. Hoffman, Henry Pefffk. 
1864 — George Garverick, John J. Milleisen, Robert McCluhk. 
1876— Samuel McIlhenny, Eli Swab, Samuel Boyd Martin. 
Harrisburg, December 30, 1876. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County 



PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 



A stranger who peruses a map of Pennsylvania will see 
towards its south-eastern side a darkly-shaded section ex- 
tending almost over the entire limits of Dauphin county, 
indicating, as he believes, a region of mountains and 
rocks. He turns his eye from it satisfied that this is 
one of the waste places of the State, affording nothing 
pleasant for the residence of men. He examines much 
more complacently a map of the coast and the navigable 
streams. But let the stranger leave the map and make a 
personal inspection ! He will find the mountains which 
he anticipated; but he will find streams also. He will 
find, too, that some of the first contain inexhaustible beds 
of the purest anthracite coal in the world, while the latter 
afford water-power for innumerable mills. He will find 
the forests also, or the verdant hill-sides where forests have 
been. He will see valleys rich in agricultural products ; 
thrifty towns and villages, and breathe an atmosphere 
of health and buoyancy of which the dwellers in large 
cities and on the plains know little. Let him come and 
we will show him a yeomanry well fitted to sustain the in- 
stitutions of a free country — living, moving men; but 
more than this, we will point out to him, where among 
these hills were born or reared, or now reoose in the 
grave, men of whom he has read and heard ; whose 
names have gone into their country's history, or who 
are now almost everywhere giving an honorable name 
to the county of Dauphin, and doing service to our State 

and nation. 

2 



6 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

The extensive and fertile plains of the West may yield 
richer harvests than we can reap ; the sunny South may 
relieve the planter from the' toil experienced by a North- 
ern farmer; and the golden regions of California may 
sooner fill the pockets with the precious metals — and all 
this may stand in strong contrast with our rough hill- 
land. But the distinguishing traits of a mountain country 
are not there to give sublimity to the landscape, fragrance 
and health to the atmosphere, and energy and enterprise 
to mind and character. 

OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS. 

The Indian tribes who dwelt among the primitive for- 
ests of Pennsylvania on the first settlement of Europeans, 
called themselves the Leni Lenape, or original people. 
This general name comprehended numerous distinct 
tribes, all speaking dialects of a common language and 
uniting around the same great council fire. Their grand 
council house, to use their own expressive figure, ex- 
tended from the Hudson river on the northeast, to the 
Potomac river on the southwest. Many of the tribes 
were directly descended from the common stock; others 
having sought their sympathy and protection had been 
alloted a section of their territory. The surrounding 
tribes, not of their confederacy, nor acknowledging alle- 
giance to it, agreed in awarding them the honor of being 
grand-fathers — that is the oldest residents in the region. 

The Leni Lenape were divided into three principal 
divisions — the Unamis, or Turtle tribes, the Unalachtgos, 
or Turkeys, and the Monseys or Wolf tribes. The two 
former occupied the country along the coast between the 
sea and the Kittatinny or Blue mountains, their settle- 
ments extending as far east as the Hudson and as far west 
as the Potomac. These were generally known among 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 7 

the whites as the Delaware Indians. The Monseys, or 
Wolf tribes, the most active and warlike of the whole, oc- 
cupied the mountainous country between the Kittatinny 
mountain and the sources of the Susquehanna and the 
Delaware rivers, kindling their council fire on the Minni- 
sink flats on the Delaware above the Water Gap. A part 
of the tribe also dwelt on the Susquehanna "in the Kitta- 
tinny and Cumberland valleys," under the more imme- 
diate protection of the Susquehanna Indians, and were 
called by them nephews, in common with the Mohicans. 
But by whatever tribal appellation our Indian prede- 
cessors were known, it is certain they found but few spots 
in the interior of the county which invited their fixed 
abode. Their settlements were chiefly confined to the 
alluvial flats along the Susquehanna, below or to some 
of the larger islands in that river. There were Indian 
villages on Duncan's Island, one on the present site of 
Millersburg, one at the mouth of Paxton creek, and 
another a short distance north of it. On the Cumberland 
county side of the river there was one at the mouth of the 
Conedogwinet, another on the high limestone bluff op- 
posite Harrisburg, and a third at the mouth of the Yellow 
Breeches creek. This latter was a Shawanese town. 
It was for many years the fixed landing place of Peter 
Chartier, an Indian agent, and an individual of some 
notoriety. He owned at one time six hundred acres 
of land bounded by Yellow Breeches creek and the 
Susquehanna river, embracing the present site of New 
Cumberland. Chartier subsequently removed to the 
Allegheny river, about 40 miles above Pittsburg, at what 
was called Old Town or Chartier's Old Town. He subse- 
quently proved treacherous to the English and joined the 
French. The village at Peixtan was visited as early 
as 1707 by John Evans, Lieutenant Governor of the 



8 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Province, accompanied by Mr. Gray, Messrs. John French, 
William Tonge, Michael Bezaiilon, and four servants. 
Their object, as we learn from the Colonial Records, was 
the arrest of Jean Nicole, a French trader, "against whom 
great complaints had been made to the Governor." It 
was a dangerous enterprise — for Nicole was a favorite 
with the young men of the village — and it was only by 
strategy that the Governor and his party succeeded in 
making the arrest. 

The Indian village on Duncan's Island was visited by 
the missionary David Brainard as late as 1 745, an inter- 
esting account of which is given in his published bio- 
graphy. 

Twenty years ago remains of these villages, in the 
shape of stone arrow heads, hatchets, and broken 
pieces of pottery were frequently turned up by the 
plough-share on Duncan's Island, and on the flat ground 
near the mouth of Paxton creek. There are other re- 
mains preserved in the archives of the State in the 
shape of quit-claim deeds, of the Indians' titles to their 
lands. These are signed with uncouth marks, and names 
unspeakable, and executed with all the solemnity of legal 
form. 

This brings us to the purchase, from the Indians, of the 
land now comprising the county of Dauphin. 

Prior to Penn's arrival, he had instructed "William 
Markham, his deputy Governor, then in Pennsylvania, 
to hold treaties with the Indians to procure their lands 
peaceably. Markham, a short time previously held such 
a treaty July 15, 1682, for some lands on the Delaware 
river. Penn held similar treaties ; and before his return 
to England in 1 684 he adopted measures to "purchase the 
lands on the Susquehanna from the Five Nations, who 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 9 

pretended a right to them, having conquered the people 
finally settled there." The Five Nations resided on the 
head waters of the Susquehanna. 

The three divisions of the Leni Lenape already noticed, 
were again divided into various subordinate clans, who as- 
sumed names suited to their character or situation. Thus 
the tribe who occupied the territory along a greater portion 
of the valley of the Susquehanna styled themselves the 
"Susquehannas." The next nearest distinctive tribe men- 
tioned is that of the "Conestogas," who occupied the val- 
ley south of the Conewago hills. The early settlers and 
provincial authorities, however, styled those who dwelt 
here simply the "Indians at Paxtang," or "Paxtang In- 
dians." 

These in part consisted of the Shawanese — a restless 
and ferocious tribe who having been threatened with ex- 
termination by a more powerful tribe at the South, sought 
protection among the friendly nations of the North, 
whose lancniap'e was observed to bear a remarkable affin- 
ity to their own. The greater part of them settled on 
the Ohio, and the rest on the Susquehanna. Those from 
Georgia and Carolina came into the province of Pennsyl- 
vania about the year 1 689, and settled first by the con- 
sent of the Susquehanna Indians and William Penn, on 
the flats of Conestoga; but afterwards consented to leave 
Conestoga and settled principally in New York ; and 
Penn's time being too much engrossed to visit them per- 
sonally, he engaged Thomas Dungan, Governor of New 
York, to make the purchase of "all that tract of land ly- 
ing on both sides of the river Susquehanna and the lakes 
adjacent, in or near the province of Pennsylvania." Dun- 
gan effected the purchase and conveyed the same to Wil- 
liam Penn, January 13, 1696, in consideration of one 
hundred pounds sterling. 



io Historical Sketch of 'Dauphin County. 

The above purchase was from Indians who only "pre- 
tended" a right to the ground , and to show how careful 
Penn was to do justice in the premises, he made the fol- 
lowing treaty with the Indians who occupied the soil : 

"September 13, 1700: Widagh and Andaggy-junguah, 
kings or sachems of the Susquehanna Indians, and of the 
river under that name, and lands lying on both sides 
thereof, deed to William Penn for all the said river Sus- 
quehanna and all the islands therein, and all the lands 
situate, lying and being on both sides of the said river, 
and next adjoining the same to the utmost confines of the 
lands which are or formerly were, the right of the people 
or nation called the Susquehanna Indians, or by what 
name soever they were called, as fully and amply as we or 
any of our ancestors have, could, might or ought to have 
had, held or enjoyed, and also confirm the bargain and 
sale of said lands made unto Col. Thomas Dungan, now 
Earl of Limerick and formerly Governor of New York, 
whose deed of sale to said Gov. Penn we have seen." 

The Conestoga Indians, however, would not recognize 
the validity of this sale, believing that the Five Nations 
had no proper authority to transfer their possessions. 
To secure the lands conveyed to him by Dungan, Penn 
subsequently entered into articles of agreement with the 
Conestoga, Susquehanna and Potomac Indians, and the 
Dungan, Widagh and Andaggy-junguah deeds were 
confirmed. 

Notwithstanding all these sales and transfers, the lands 
on the west, side of the Susquehanna were still claimed 
by the Indians, for the words in the deed of 1 700 were 
considered inconsistent with an extensive Western pur- 
chase ; beside the Indians of the Five Nations still con- 
tinued to claim a right to the river and the adjoining 
lands. Finally, the sachems or chiefs with all the others 
of the Five Nations met in the summer of 1 736 at a great 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 1 1 

council in the country of the Onondagoes in New York, 
and appointed a deputation of sachems or chiefs, with 
plenary powers to repair to Philadelphia and there among 
other things, settle and adjust all demands and claims con- 
nected with the Susquehanna and adjoining lands. On 
their arrival at Philadelphia they renewed old treaties of 
friendship, and on the 1 1 th of October, 1 736, made a deed 
to John, Thomas and Richard Penn, their heirs, successors 
and assigns. The deed was signed by twenty-three In- 
dian chiefs of the Onondago, Seneca, Oneida and Tus- 
carora nations, granting the Penns "all the said river Sus- 
quehanna, with the lands lying on both sides thereof to 
extend eastward as far as the heads of the branches or 
springs which run into the said Susquehanna, and all the 
lands lying on the west side of the said river to the set- 
ting of the sun, and to extend from the mouth of the said 
river northward, up the same to the hills or mountains 
called in the language of said nations Tayamentasachta i 
and by the Delaware Indians the Kekachtannin hills." 
Thus were the claims of the Indians relinquished to the 
proprietaries of all the land that lies in the present limits 
of Dauphin county, except that portion north of the Kit- 
tatinny or Blue mountain, five miles above Harrisburg. 
That portion above the Kittatinny mountain was pur- 
chased, including a large tract of country, in 1749. 



12 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 



FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTY. 



The first permanent settlers in the territory now form- 
ing the county of Dauphin were Scotch-Irish — an enter- 
prising and daring race, who for many years defended 
the frontiers against the Indians, and were conspicuous 
in many of the sanguinary scenes of border warfare. The 
term Scotch-Irish is used to designate a numerous and 
honorable people, who immigrated to the Province of 
Pennsylvania at an early date. 

A distinguished jurist of western Pennsylvania, de- 
scribes the race, and how this distinctive appellation came 
to be applied to this class of early settlers in Pennsyl- 
vania : 

"The class of people to whom we give the appellative 
Scotch-Irish, are very different from the Irish. Neither 
are they Gaelic, nor a cross of the two races. Not a drop 
of Gaelic or Milessan blood lurks in their veins. They 
are as distinct to-day as they were 250 years ago; hav- 
ing maintained their Scotch lineage unalloyed. * * * 
As a race, they are only denizens of Ireland, to which 
they were transplanted from Scotland. * * * More- 
over, the early Scotch colonists were a select stock. 
Many of them, though not lords, were lairds, and the 
bulk of them were men of grit, enterprize and above the 
average intelligence." 

This emigration to Ulster, Ireland, began in 1636, was 
continued under the first Charles, 1642 — was increased 
in 1662; and under Anne, 1701, the migration to Penn- 
sylvania commenced, which in 1729, had grown to such 
proportions as to alarm the proprietary officials, particu- 



Historical Sketch of' Dauphin County. 13 

larly as the emigrants settled on the "best lands," com- 
monly without consulting- any of the provincial authorities. 
These Scotch-Irish and their descendants gave to the 
country some of the best soldiers of the revolution, and 
the institutions and industries they brought with them, 
are with us until this day. 

The first of these that immigrated to this country set- 
tled near or about the disputed lines between Pennsylva- 
nia and Maryland. Large numbers settled in Donegal 
township, Lancaster county, either prior to or soon after 
the origination of that township in 1722. Among these 
were Semples, Pattersons, Scotts, Mitchells, Hendricks, 
Speers, Galbreaths, Andersons, Lowreys, Boyds, Alexan- 
ders, Macfarlanes, Pedans, Porters, Sterrits, Kerrs, Works, 
Lytles, Whitehills, Campbells, Moors, Smiths, M'Ewens, 
Ramsays, Gibsons, Cotters, M'Intyres, Cooks, Howards, 
Clarks, M'Clellans, Clendenins, Brackans, Wilsons, Alli- 
sons, Halls, Stuarts, Thompsons, Hughs, Linns, Browns, 
Collins, Andrews, Forsters, Banes, M'Conkeys, Caro- 
thers, M'Clures, Marchets, Pattons, Potts, Reas, Fultons, 
M'Collocks, Brewers, Kellys, and Walkers. 

From Donegal the Scotch-Irish extended their settle- 
ments into Paxton, Derry, Londonderry, Lebanon and 
Hanover townships, Lancaster county, (now Dauphin 
and part of Lebanon.) 

It is impossible to determine with any degree of accu- 
racy the name of the first permanent white settler, or the 
date of his settlement, in the territory now comprising 
Dauphin county. The claims of the Indians were not re- 
linquished to the land south of the Blue mountain until 
1736; yet it is certain that surveys were actually made by 
the Governors of Pennsylvania and Maryland, and settle- 
ments made in the Kittatinny and Cumberland valleys 



14 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

as early as 1 73 1 . These settlements, however, were 
made by permission of the Indians, whom the first set- 
tlers conciliated. The credit of being the pioneer settler 
is generally awarded to John Harris, a native of York- 
shire, England, who in his capacity as an Indian trader is 
said to have located on the present site of the city of 
Harrisburg, "about the year 171 7." His first warrant for 
land, however, is dated January 1, 1726. We shall allude 
more at length to Mr. Harris in our description of the 
city of Harrisburg. 

The permanent settlers, cotemporary with Harris, 
were the Chambers family — James, Robert, Joseph and 
Benjamin — natives of Antrim, Ireland — who in 1726 took 
up land and built a mill at the mouth of Fishing creek, 
now known as Fort Hunter. A few years later they re- 
moved up the Cumberland valley, and became quite 
conspicuous characters in the early annals of that region. 
Col. Benjamin Chambers laid out the town of Chambers- 
burg. 

Perhaps as early a settler as either of those was Peter 
Allen, whose house yet stands in excellent preservation, 
where it did on the ninth of June, 1729, when the "Town- 
ship of Peshtank, Beginning at the mouth of Swatara, 
thence up the river to Kohtohtoning [Kittatinny] hill, 
above Peter Allen's, thence Eastward," &c, was formed 
by the authorities of Lancaster county. To erect a 
stone house in 1876 takes some time, it may therefore 
be fairly inferred, that Allen's house must have been 
erected before 1729; its owner probably the first perma- 
nent white settler north of Paxton creek — and certainly, 
this particular house is the oldest building in Dauphin 
county. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 



15 



There appears to have been an extensive body of set- 
tlers in parts of the townships of Derry, Hanover and 
Paxton in 1726, as Presbyterian churches existed in each 
of those townships soon after that period. 

The earliest list of taxables we have been able to se- 
sure is that of 1725 — prior to the formation of Lancaster 
county and of the townships of Paxtang and Derry. It 
is a portion of Donegal township, Chester county. These 
names are as follows: 



James Letort, 
Jonas Davenport, 
George Stewart, Esq., 
Rowland Chambers, 
John Allison, 
Thomas Mitchell, 
James Conik, 
David M'Cure, 
James Smith, 
William Brains, 
Ephraim Moor, 
Samuel Fulton, 
Patrick Campbell, 
John Harris, 
Thomas Wilkins, 
Robert Middlcton, 
William Wilkins, 
Peter Allen, 



James Galbraith, 
John Galbraith, 
Andrew Galbraith, 
John Mitchell, 
Richard Allison, 
James Kile, 
James Cunningham, 
Widow Downing, 
James Brownlee, 
William Hay, 
James Rody, 
Hugh White, 
Thomas Black, 
John Black & Son, 
Gordon Howard, 
Joseph Work, 
Hugh M'Keen, 
Alexander Hutchinson, 



Michael Kerr, 
John Taylor, 
John Marish, 
William Dunlap, 
Robert Bohannon, 
William Mebee, 
James Mitchell, 
Robert M'Farland, 
John Sterratt, 
Robert Brown, 
Samuel Smith, 
Alexander M'Keen, 
Robert Monday, 
William Bohannon, 
Michael Wood, 
John Burt, 
John Gardner. 



At the August court, 1729, at Lancaster, James Patter- 
son, Edmond Cartlidge, Peter Chartier, John Lawrence, 
Jonas Davenport, Oliver Wallis, Patrick Boyd, Lazarus 
Lowrey, William Dunlap, William Beswick, John Wilkins, 
Thomas Perrin and John Harris, were recommended to 
the Governor as fit persons to trade with the Indians. 

The following is from the Commissioners' Book of 
Lancaster county in the Secretary's office at Harrisburg : 

"March 5, 1730. Ordered that Thomas Gardner, con- 
stable of Peshtank, be allowed 18 pence. Taxes assessed 
in said township for 1736 amounted to ^22 10s. 7d. 



i6 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin Comity. 



For 1 73 7, £2 1 2s. iod. Samuel Montgomery was collector 
that year. For 1739, £15 5s. 9c!. William M'Mullin, 
collector. For 1740,^9 13s. 8cl. John Wilson, collector. 

"October 30, 1 739. The county commissioners agreed 
to hold an appeal Janaury 4, 1 739-40, at Thomas Lenox's, 
in Paxton, for the upper end of Lancaster. 

"January 8, 1 744. The commissioners held an appeal at 
the house of John Harris, in the township of Paxton. 

"December 30, 1747. The commissioners again held 
an appeal at the house of John Harris." 

Some time previous to 1750 the townships of Derry, 
Paxton and Hanover, were divided for taxable purposes, 
the former into "West End of Derry," and "East End of 
Derry;" Paxton into "West Side of Paxton," "South End 
of Paxton," and the "Narrows of Paxton;" and Hanover 
into "West End of Hanover" and "East End of Han- 
over." 

The following is a list of the taxables and early set- 
tlers in these townships in [750, as taken from the tax 
duplicates of that year : 

DERRY— EAST END. 



James Semple, 
James M'Kee, 
Joseph Candor, 
"-"Thomas Hall, 
James Clarlc, 
Randel Boon, 
John Allison, 
James Shaw, 
Robert Ramsey, 
James Russel, 
Thomas Bowman, 
James Chambers, 
Hugh Carrithers, 
James Carrithers, 
Robert Bratchey, 
Hugh Black, 
Thomas Black, 



David Black, 
Robert Chambers, 
James Long, 
David Campbell, 
James Ireland, 
Patrick Down, 
John Vanleir, 
Robert Carithers, 
William Bradin, 
Charles Neely, 
Arthur Chambers, 
John Tire, 
John Laird, 
David Caldwell, 
Andrew Morrison, 
John Thompson, 



Alexander Robeson, 
John Nicom, 
John Kerr, 
William Blackburn, 
Andrew Lockert, 
David M'Nair, 
James Wiley, 
Christian Saddler, 
William Mitchell, 
Moses Wilson, 
Michael Houry, 
Moses Patterson, 
James Russel, 
William Sterrit, 
Robert Armstrong, 
John Welsh. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 



DERRY— WEST END. 



James Galbraith, Esq., 
James Wilson, 
James Campbell, 
James Walker, 
John Walker, 
II. Walker, 
John M'Cord, 
David M'Cord, 
William Robeson, 
Archibald Walker, 
David Tyler, 
John OlT, 
John Rinagel, 
William Wilson, 
James Miller, 
William Boyd, 
Robert Boyd, 
John Cosh. 
William Sayers, 
( reorge Eby, 
David Mitchell, 
Leonard Devinnie. 
John M'Colloch, 
Charles Conway, 
David Shenk, 
David Kleim, 
Michael Hoover, 
Honnes Palmer, 
Henry Peters, 



Hans Ketrin, 
Charles Clark, */ 
Thomas Mackey, 

Andrew Moore, 
James Foster, 
Robert M'Clure, 
Hugh Hall, 
Thomas Rutherford, 
William Rea, 
John M'Queen, 
John Rea, 
Mel M'Allister, 
Christian Schneider, 
Neal Dougherty, 
Thomas Logan, 
George Miller, 
John M'Allister, 
Joseph White, 
John M'Clelland, 
Robert Murdoc, 
Moses Potts, 
David Jonson, 
Jacob Reif, 
Jacob Longnecker, 
Andrew Rowan, 
Hugh Hayes, 
Patrick Hayes, 
John Kerr, 
Duncan M'Donnell, 



Thomas Wilson, 
James Wilson, 
John Campbell, 
Mr. M'Clan, 
Mr. Sloan, 
John Maben, 
Pal rick Kelly, 
James Duncan, 
William Hayes, 
John Foster, 
Robert Foster, 
David Foster, 
Wilson Cooper, 
John Strean, 
John Cochran, 
Hans Adam Xei, 
Jacob Sailer, 
Hugh Miller, 
John Godfrey, 
Thomas Aiken. 
Anthony Hemphill. 
Conrad Wisan, 
John M'Colloch, 
John Gingrich, 
William Miller, 
John Moor, 
John Hays, 
William Huston. 



PAXTON— WEST SIDE. 



William Thorn, 
Hugh Montgomery, 
Robert Dugan, 
Thomas Sturgon, 
John Johnson, 
John Harris, 
James M'Xight, 
James Reed, 
James Armstrong, 
Robert Chambers, 
John Davis, 
James Harris, 
David Carson, 
William M'Calley, 



Thomas Simpson, 
James Polke, 
James Potts, 
< leorge < I illespy, 
Alexander M'< lay, 
John C;'\ it, 
Andrew Caldwell, 
John Scott, 
Samuel Price, 
Patrick ' HUespy, 
Jeremiah Sturgeon, 
Robert Montgomery, 

John Caldwell, 
Robert Smith. 



Samuel Simpson, 
Samuel Martin, 
Thomas W Arthur, 

James ( oilier. 
Thomas banter. 
Andrew Stuart, 

Samuel Campbell, 
Alexander Sanders, 
Robert Curry, 
Moses Wain, 
Joseph Ross, 
John Smith. 
James Thorn, 
William Armstrong, 



i8 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 



James Toland, 

Andrew Steen, 
John Cochran, 
Alexander Johnson, 
Thomas Forster, Esq. 
James Aiken, 
James Alcorn, 



Joseph White, 
John Neal, 
John Dougherty, 
George Gabriel, 
John Carson, 
Samuel Hunter, 
John Daily, 



William Calhoun, 
Thomas M'Cormick, 
John Wiggins, 
John Wiley, 
Andrew Cochran, 
Robert Potter, 



PAXTON— SOUTH END. 



William Kirkpatrick, 
Thomas King, 
Thomas Meays, 
William Steel, 
Robert Tyler, 
Hugh Stuart, 
Peter Fleming, 
John Shields, 
Kennedy Kanix, 
John Gray, 
William Harris, 
Richard M'Clure, 
John Wilson, 
Oliver Wiley, 
Samuel Galbreath, 



Martin Shultz, 
David Shields, 
Moses Dickey, 
H. M' Kinney, 
H. Sellers, 
Valentine Starn, 
Thomas Dugan, 
Alexander Brown, 
James Lusk, 
John Means, 
Andrew Hanna, 
George Shiets, 
Timothy M' Night, 
William Sharp, 
H. M'Elroy, 



John Johnson, 
Charles Gordon, 
John Montgomery, 
Timothy Shaw, 
Matthew Jordan, 
Andrew Huston, 
Samuel Words, 
John Welsh, 
Alexander White, 
John Morrow, 
James M' Night, 
Francis Johnson, 
James Wilson, 
William Dickey, 
Patrick Kinney. 



THE "NARROWS" OF PAXTON. 

The taxable and early settlers along the Susquehanna 
northward, were 



John Kelton, 
Mr. Murray, 
Robert Armstrong, 
John Armstrong, 
Thomas Gaston, 
William Foster, 
Thomas Clark, 



John M'Kee, 
Robert Clark, 
Thomas Adams, 
Harbert Adams, 
John Watt, 
George Clark, 
James Reed, 



James English, 
John Given, 
James Baskins, 
Thomas M'Kee, 
Charles Williams, 
John Mitchell, 
John Lee, a trader. 



HANOVER— WEST END. 



Joseph Rogers, 
Seth Rogers, 
Hugh Samuel Sterret, 
James M'Creight, 
James Beard, 



James Riddle, 
Thomas MaQuire, 
John M'Cord, 
Robert Huston, 
John Gamble, 



William M'Cleuahan, 
David M'Clennahan, sr., 
Daniel Shaw, 
Samuel Stewart, 
Robert Love, 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin Coicnty. 



*9 



Robert Porterfield, 
Matthew Thornton, 
William Rogers, 
William Thompson, 
Samuel Todd, 
George Johnson, 
John Brown, 
John M'Cavit, 
James M'Cavit, 
Thomas French, 
James French, 
James Finney, 
Thomas Sharp, 
John Sharp, 
John Dobbins, 
Mr. M'Cowen, 
John Hill, 
Philip Robeson, 
James Brown, 
William Erwin, 
Samuel Barnet, 
Alexander Montgomery, 
Thomas Bell, 
Samuel Robeson, 



John Henry, 
Thomas M'Clure, 
William Barnet, 
Andrew Wallace, 
Richard Johnston, 
Josias Wiley, 
John Snodey, 
John Cooper, 
Thomas Cooper, 
Francis M'Clure, 
Michael Neal, 
H. Hart, 
Robert Humes, 
James Robinson, 
James Rippert, 
Mathew Snody, 
John M'Cormick, 
James Wilson, 
John Strean, 
Robert Park, 
Hugh Wilson, 
James Wilson, 
Robert Wallace, 
Robert Snodgrass, 



William Laird, 
John Hutchinson, 
Samuel Young, 
James Finney, 
John M'Nealey, 
James M'Connel, 
Thomas Russell, 
Charles M'Clure, 
John Wood, 
Andrew Wood, 
Matthew Tyler, 
Andrew Walker, 
Robert Martin, 
James Wilson, 
George Miller, 
John Miller, 
John M'Clure, 
Patrick Gracy, 
William Cooper, 
Thomas Martin, 
John Stuart, 
Thomas Robeson, 
James Wallace, 
Michael Wallace. 



HANOVER— EAST END. 



Jacob Musser, 
Peter Hettrich, 
Melchoir Henry, 
Thomas Promer, 
Henry Bachman, 
Conrad Clatt, 
Anthony Rosebaum, 
Jacob Mosher, 
Esau Ricker, 
William Clark, 
John Libbins, 
John Schwar, 
James Young, 
John Gilliland, 
Peter Hailman, 
Widow Work, 
Frederick Hoke, 
James Sloan, 
Widow Gilleland. 
Jacob Sope, 



Martin Lichty, 
Adam Roth, 
Ludwig Shits, 
John Stewart, 
John Forster, 
John Andrew, 
Walter M'Farland, 
Joseph Brechtbill, 
William Robinson, 
Philip Kolps, 
Onwal Jagel, 
Thomas Orvil, 
Alexander Swan, 
Alexander Thompson, 
John Graham, 
Samuel Ainsworth, 
John Martin, 
Barnet M' Night, 
Widow Brown, 
John Humes, 



William Woods, 
John Porterfield, 
Robert Haslet, 
John Crawford, 
William Watson, 
Henry Gantz, 
James Greenleaf, 
John Craig, 
Hugh M'Gowen, 
John Dickson, 
Joseph Willson, 
Adam Miller, 
Edward M'Murray, 
Jacob M'Cormick, 
John Kansey, 
James Stewart, 
Humphrey Cunningham, 
Robert Kirkwood, 
James M'Corey, 
William Thomson, 



20 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 



John Sops, 
Rudolph Hoke, 
Joseph Hoof, 
Benjamin Clark, 
Killian Mark, 
George Tittel, 
Isaac Williams, 
Adam Clannean, 
John Casnet, 
James Williams, 
Anthony Tittel, 
Dennis Keril, 
Mathias Boon, 
John Sloan, 
Daniel Ankel, 
William Young, 
Abraham Williams, 
James Clark, 



Andrew M'Keehan, 
Thomas Brewster, 
John Thomson, 
James Graham, 
John Cunningham, 
William Cunningham, 
Christopher Sies, 
John Myers, 
Patrick Brown, 
John Andrews, 
John Strein, 
Antony M'Elrath, 
George Shetley, 
Walter Bell, 
Leonard Long,' 
Adam M'Neeley, 
John M'Clure, 
John Henderson, 



Thomas Strain, 
Matthias Rank, 
Jacob Steiner, 
William Stoner, 
James Tood, 
John Young, 
James Dixon, 
Robert Bryson, 
William Bryson, 
Daniel Andrew, 
David Stevenson, 
William Cathcart, 
William Crosby, 
Benjamin Ainsworth, 
Patrick Bowen, 
Adam Harper, 
Lazarus Stewart, 
Benjamin Wallace. 



The above lists represent nearly all the taxable inhab- 
itants residing in the territory now covered by Dauphin 
county one hundred and twenty-six years ago. They 
were the fathers of our county — the men who climbed 
among the hills with their axes to cut away room for cabins 
sacred to family prayer and domestic duties; to sow for 
the good future to come ; whose children foddered their 
cattle in the snows, and built stone fence while the corn was 
sprouting in the hills; where the good housewive made 
coats, cooked the meals, and in case of necessity, handled 
the rifle in defence of her fireside ; these are the men 
and women out of whom "we draw our royal lineage." 



Historical Sketch of Dattphin County. 21 



THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. 



With the exception of occasional personal or individual 
disputes, a friendly feeling- had existed between the Indi- 
ans and the inhabitants of Pennsylvania for a period of 
nearly seventy years. In 1753, however, a different spirit 
manifested itself in the conduct of some of the Indians in 
the western part of the colony. They united themselves 
with the French against the English, many of whom, at 
the instigation of their new allies, they murdered most 
cruelly. The inhabitants of the frontiers were in a panic, 
for the Indians, true to their character, when enemies, 
struck wherever an opportunity presented itself, sparing 
neither sex nor age. 

The settlers in the region now comprising this county, 
partook in the prevailing alarm, and sent the following 
petition to Governor Hamilton: 

"The humble petition of the inhabitants of the town- 
ships of Paxton, Derry and Hanover, Lancaster county, 
humbly sheweth, that your petitioners being settled on 
and near the river Susquehanna, apprehend themselves 
in great danger from the French and French Indians, as 
it is in their power several times in the year to transport 
themselves, with amunition, artillery and every necessary, 
down the said river — and their conduct of late to the 
neighboring provinces, increases our dread of a speedy 
visit from them, as we are as near and convenient as the 
provinces already attacked, and are less capable of de- 
fending ourselves, as we are unprovided with arms and 
amunition, and unable to purchase them. A great num- 
ber are warm and active in these parts for the defence 
of themselves and country, were they enabled so to do, 



22 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County 



(although not such a number as would be able to with- 
stand the enemy). We, your petitioners, therefore humbly 
pray, that your Honor would take our distressed condi- 
tion into consideration, and make such provision for us 
as may prevent ourselves and families from being de- 
stroyed and ruined by such a cruel enemy; and your 
petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. 



Dated July 22, 1754. 



Thomas Forster, 
James Armstrong, 
John Harris, 
Thomas Simpson, 
Samuel Simpson, 
John Carson, 
David Shields, 
William M' Mullen, 
John Coit, 
William Armstrong, 
James Armstrong, 
William Bell, 
John Daugherty, 
James Atkins, 
Andrew Cochran, 
James Reed, 
Thomas Rutherford, 
T. M' Carter, 
William Steel, 



Samuel Hunter, 
Thomas Mays, 
James Coler, 
Henry Renicks, 
Rich. M'Clure, 
Thomas Dugan, 
John Johnson, 
Peter Fleming, 
Thomas Sturgeon, 
Matthew Taylor, 
Jeremiah Sturgeon, 
Thomas King, 
Robert Smith, 
Adam Reed, 
John Crawford, 
Thomas Crawford, 
John M'Clure, 
Thomas Hume, 
Thomas Steene, 



John Hume, 
John Craig, 
Thomas M'Clure, 
William M'Clure, 
John Rodgers, 
James Peterson, 
John Young, 
Ez. Sankey, 
John Forster, 
Mitchell Graham, 
James Toalen, 
James Galbreath, 
James Campbel, 
Robert Boyd, 
James Chambers, 
Robert Armstrong, 
John Campbell, 
Hugh Black, 
Thomas Black. 



This petition was read in Council 6th August, 1754. 

Shortly after the defeat of Gen. Braddock, July 9, 1 755, 
the French and their Indian allies, encouraged by their 
success, pushed their incursions into York, Cumberland, 
the northern part of Lancaster (now Dauphin), Berks 
and Northampton counties, and the massacres which fol- 
lowed were horrible beyond description. King Shinges, 
as he was called, and Captain Jacobs were supposed to 
have been the principal instigators of them, and a reward 
of seven hundred dollars was offered for their heads. 
It was at this period, that the dead bodies of some of the 
murdered and manoled were sent from the frontiers to 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 23 

Philadelphia, and hauled about the streets, to inflame the 
people against the Indians, and also against the Quakers, 
to whose mild forbearance was attributed a laxity in 
sending out troops. The mob surrounded the House of 
Assembly, having placed the dead bodies at its entrance, 
and demanded immediate succor. At this time the above 
reward was offered. 

The condition of affairs in the interior and western 
part of the Province are thus described by Gov. Robert 
Morris in his message of July 24, 1755, to the Assembly, 
in relation to Braddock's defeat: 

"This unfortunate and unexpected change in our affairs 
deeply affects every one of his majesty's colonies, but none 
of them in so sensible a manner as this province; while 
having no militia, is thereby left exposed to the cruel 
incursion of the French and barbarous Indians, who de- 
light in shedding human blood, and who make no distinc- 
tion as to age or sex — as to those that are armed against 
them, or such as they can surprise in their peaceful habi- 
tations — all are alike the objects of their cruelty — slaugh- 
tering the tender infant, and frightened mother, with equal 
joy and fierceness. To such enemies, spurred by the 
native cruelty of their tempers, encouraged by their late 
success, and having now no army to fear, are the inhab- 
itants of this province exposed; and by such must we 
now expect to be overrun, if we do not immediately pre- 
pare for our own defence; nor ought we to content our- 
selves with this, but resolve to drive to, and confine the 
French to their own just limits." 

On the 23d of October, 1755, forty-six of the inhab- 
itants about Harris' 'Ferry (now Harrisburg) went to 
Shamokin, to enquire of the Indians there who they were, 
who had so cruelly fallen upon and ruined the settlement 
on Mahahony creek. On their return from Shamokin, 
they were fired upon by some Indians who lay in ambush, 



24 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

and four were killed, four drowned, and the rest put to 
flight. 

The following- is the official report of this expedition : 

"I, and Thomas Forster, Esq., Mrs. Harris, and Mr. 
M'Kee, with upwards of forty men, went up the 2d inst., 
(October, 1755,) to Captain M'Kee, at New Providence, 
in order to bury the dead, lately murdered on Mahahony 
creek; but understanding the corpse were buried, we 
then determined to return immediately home. But being 
urged by John Sekalamy, and the Old Belt, to go up to 
see the Indians at Shamokin, and know their minds, we 
went on the 24th, and staid there all night — and in the 
night I heard some Delawares talking — about twelve in 
number — to this purpose: "What are the English come 
here for?" Says another: "To kill us, I suppose; can 
we then send off some of our nimble young men to give 
our friends notice that can soon be here?" They soon 
after sang the war song, and four Indians went off in two 
canoes, well armed — the one canoe went down the river, 
and the other across. 

"On the morning of the 25th, we took our leave of the 
Indians, and set off homewards, and were advised to go 
down the east side of the river, but fearing that a snare 
might be laid on that side, we marched off peaceably on 
the west side, having behaved in the most civil and 
friendly manner towards them while with them ; and when 
we came to the mouth of the Mahahony creek, we were 
fired on by a good number of Indians that lay among the 
bushes; on which we were obliged to retreat, with the 
loss of several men; the particular number I cannot ex- 
actly mention ; but I am positive that I saw four fall, and 
one man struck with a tomahawk on the head in his 
flight across the river. As I understand the Delaware 
tongue, I heard several of the Indians that were engaged 
against us, speak a good many words in that tongue dur- 
ing the action. 

"Adam Terrance." 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 



-d 



"The above declaration was attested by the author's 
voluntary qualification, no magistrate being present, at 
Paxton, this 26th Oc'tober, 1755, before us: 

John Elder, Thomas McArthur, 

Michael Graham, Alex. McClure, 
Michael Teaff, William Harris, 
Thomas Black, Samuel Lenes, 
Samuel Pearson, William McClure. 

"N. B. Of all our people that were in the action, there 
are but nine that are yet returned." 

Conrad Weiser, an Indian interpreter and a prominent 
man in the province, thus writes to James Read, Esq., ol 
Reading, about this period: 

"Heidleberg, October 26, ) 

at 11 o'clock Sunday night, 1755. ) 
"Loving Friend: 

"About an hour ago I received the news of the enemy 
having crossed the Susquehanna, and killed a great many 
people, from Thomas McKee's down to Hunter's Mill. 

"Mr. Elder, the minister of Paxton, wrote to another 
Presbyterian minister, in the neighborhood of Adam 
Reed, Esq., that the people were then in a meeting, and 
immediately desired to get themselves in readiness to 
oppose the enemy, and lend assistance to their neighbors. 
Mr. Reed sent down to Tulpehocken, and two men, 
one that came from Mr. Reed's, are just now gone, that 
brought in the melancholy news. I have sent out to 
alarm the townships in this neighborhood, and to meet 
me early in the morning, at Peter Spicker's, to consult 
together what to do, and to make preparations to stand 
the enemy, with the assistance of the Most High. 

"I wrote you this that you may have time to consult with 
Mr. Seely, and other well-wishers of the people, in order 
to defend our lives and others. Eor God's sake let us 
stand together, and do what we can, and trust to the 
hand of Providence. Perhaps we must, in this neighbor- 



26 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

hood', come to Reading; but I will send armed men to 
Susquehanna, or as far as they can go for intelligence. 

"Pray, let Sammy have a copy of this, or this draft for 
his Honor, the Governor. I have sent him, about three 
hours ago, express to Philadelphia, and he lodges at my 
son Peter's. Despatch him as early as you can. I pray, 
beware of confusion; be calm, you and Mr. Seely, and 
act the part of fathers of the people. I know you are 
both able; but excuse me for giving you this caution — 
time requires it. I am, dear sir, 

"Your very good friend and humble servant, 

"Conrad Weiser." 

The near approach of the enemy created the utmost 
consternation among the outer settlements. The only 
safety was to flee and leave all to the enemy. They had 
in vain looked for effectual relief from the Colonial g-ov- 
ernment. Homes that had been occupied; barns filled 
with the fruits of a rich and plenteous harvest; newly 
sowed fields, standing corn, and cattle, sheep, etc., were 
all abandoned by the hardy and industrious frontier set- 
tlers, in order to save themselves from being cut off by 
the barbarous enemy. Even John Harris and his family 
were threatened with death, as stated by Mr. Harris him- 
self in the following letter: 

"Paxton, October 29, 1755. 
"Sir: 

"We expect the enemy upon us every day, and the in- 
habitants are abandoning their plantations, being greatly 
discouraged at the approach of such a number of cruel 
savages, and no present sign of assistance. I had a cer- 
tain account of fifteen hundred French and Indians being 
on the march against us and Virginia, and now close upon 
our borders, their scouts scalping our families on our 
frontiers daily. Andrew Montour, and others at Shamo- 
kin, desired me to take care, that there was a party of 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County 



*i 



forty Indians, out many days, and intended to burn my 
house and destroy myself and family. I have this day 
cut loop-holes in my house, and am determined to hold 
out to the last extremity, if I can get some men to stand 
by me. But few can be had at present, as every one is 
in fear of his own family being cut off every hour. Great 
part of the Susquehanna Indians are no doubt actually 
in the French interest, and I am informed that a French 
officer is expected at Shamokin this week, with a party 
of Delawares and Shawanese, no doubt to take posses- 
sion of our river. We should raise men immediately to 
build a fort up the river to take possession, and to induce 
some Indians to join us. We ought also to insist on the 
Indians to declare for or against us, and as soon as we 
are prepared for them we should bid up their scalps, and 
keep our w r oods full of our people upon the scout, else 
they will ruin our province, for they are a dreadful enemy. 
I have sent out two Indian spies to Shamokin; they are 
Mohawks. 

"Sir, yours, &c, 

"John Harris. 
u Edward Shippen, Esq." 

In the latter part of October, 1755, the enemy again 
appeared in the neighborhood of Shamokin, and in No- 
vember of that year they committed several murders upon 
the whites under circumstances of great cruelty and bar- 
barity. Not only the settlers on the immediate frontier, 
but those residing far towards the interior, were kept in 
constant alarm, as will be seen by the following address, 
or appeal, to the inhabitants of the province, issued from 
the present site of Harrisburg: 

"Pax ion, October 31, 1755. 

[From John Harris, at 12 P. M.] 

"To all I lis Majesty s subjects in the Province of Pennsyl- 
vania, or elsewhere: 
"Wnereas, Andrew Montour, Belt of Wampum, two 
Mohawks, and other Indians, came down this day from 



28 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Shamokin, who say the whole body of Indians, or the 
greatest part of them in the French interest, is actually 
encamped on this side of George Gabriel's [about thirty 
miles north of Harrisburg, on the west side of the river], 
near Susquehanna, and we may expect an attack within 
three days at farthest; and a French fort to be begun at 
Shamokin in ten days hence. Tho' this be the Indian 
report, we, the subscribers, do give it as our advice, to 
repair immediately to the frontiers with all our forces, to 
intercept their passage into our country, and to be pre- 
pared in the best manner possible for the worst events. 

"Witness our hands: 

James Galbreath, James Pollock, 
John Allison, James Anderson, 

Barney Hughes, William Work, 
Robert Wallace, Patrick Henry. 
John Harris, 
"P. S. — They positively affirm that the above named 
Indians discovered a party of the enemy at Thomas 
McKee's upper place on the 30th of October last. 

"Mona-ca-too-tha, The Belt, and other Indians here, 
insist upon Mr. Weiser's coming immediately to John 
Harris' with his men, and to counsel with the Indians. 

"Before me. 

"James Galbreath." 

Fortunately, the reports conveyed in Mr. Harris' letter, 
as well as in the above address, proved to be premature, 
the enemy confining his depredations to the regions of 
the Susquehanna, about Shamokin, and the Great or Big 
Cove, in the western part of Cumberland county, a de- 
tailed account of which would not come within our prov- 
ince to write. 

It was not until the middle of the following year that 
the Indians, incited, and in some instances officered, by 
their allies, the French, extended their incursions into the 
interior of the colony, and imagination fails to conceive 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 29 

the peril and distress of the settlers of Paxton, Hanover, 
and other townships then in Lancaster (now Dauphin 
and Lebanon counties). Some idea, however, may be 
formed of their condition from the subjoined letters. 

" Derry Township, 9th August, 1 756. 
''Dear Sir: 

"There is nothing but bad news every day. Last week 
there were two soldiers killed and one wounded about two 
miles from Manady fort; and two of the guards that 
escorted the batteaus were killed; and we may expect 
nothing else daily, if no stop be put to these savages. 
We shall all be broken in upon in these parts. The 
people are going off daily, leaving almost their all behind 
them ; and as for my part, I think a little time will lay the 
country waste by flight, so that the enemy will have noth- 
ing to do but take what we have worked for. 

"Sir, your most humble servant, 

"James Galbreath. 
"Ed. Shippcn, Esq" 



"Derry Township, 10th August, 1756. 
"Honored Sir: 

There is nothing here, almost every day, but murder by 
the Indians in some parts or other. About five miles 
above me, at Manada Gap, there were two of the Prov- 
ince soldiers killed and one wounded. There were but 
three Indians, and they came in among ten of our men 
and committed the murder and went oft safe. The name, 
or sight of an Indian, makes almost all in these parts 
tremble — their barbarity is so cruel where they are mas- 
ters; for, by all appearance, the devil communicates, God 
permits, and the French pay, and by that the back parts, 
by all appearance, will be laid waste by flight, with those 
who are gone and going; more especially Cumberland 
county. 

5 



50 Historical Sketch of Dauphin Count v. 

"Pardon my freedom in this wherein I have done 
amiss. 

"Sir, your most humble servant, 

"James Galbreath." 

The above murders are corroborated by the follow- 
ing : 

"Hanover, August 7, 1756. 
"Sir: 

"Yesterday Jacob Ellis, a soldier of Capt. Smith's, at 
Brown's, about two miles and a half over the first moun- 
tain, just within the Gap, having some wheat growing at 
that place, prevailed with his officers for some of the men 
to help him to cut some of the grain; accordingly ten of 
them went, set guards and fell to work. At about ten 
o'clock they had reaped down, and went to the head to 
begin again; and, before they had all well begun, three 
Indians, having crept up to the fence, just behind them, 
fired upon them and killed the Corporal, and another 
who was standing with a gun in one hand and a bottle 
in the other, was wounded; his left arm is broken in two 
places, so that his gun fell, he being a little more down 
the field than the rest. Those who were reaping, had 
their fire-arms about half way down the field, standing at 
a large tree. As soon as the Indians had fired, and 
without loading their guns, they leaped over the fence 
right in amongst the reapers — one of them had left his 
gun on the outside of the field — they all ran promiscuously, 
while the Indians were making- a terrible haloo, and 
looked more like the devil than Indians. The soldiers 
made for their fire-arms, and as three of them stood be- 
hind the tree with their arms, the Indian that came want- 
ing his gun, came within a few yards of them and took 
up the wounded soldier's gun, and would have killed 
another, had not one perceived him, fired at him, so that 
he dropped the gun. The Indians fled, and in going oft, 
two soldiers standing about a rod apart, an Indian ran 
through between them, they both fired at him, yet he es- 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 31 

caped. When the Indians were over the fence, a soldier 
fired at one of them, upon which he stooped a little — the 
three Indians escaped. Immediately after leaving the 
field, they fired one gun and gave a haloo. The soldiers 
hid the one that was killed, went home to the fort, found 
James Brown who lives in the fort, and one of the sol- 
diers missing". 

"The Lieutenant accompanied by some more, went 
out and brought in the dead man; but still Brown was 
missing. Notice was given on that night; I went up 
next morning with some hands. Capt. Smith had sent 
up more men from the other fort; these went out next 
morning; against I got there, word was come in that 
they had found James Brown, killed and scalped. I went 
over with them to bring him home. He was killed with 
the last shot, about twenty rods from the field — his gun, 
his shoes and jacket carried off. The soldiers who found 
him said, that they tracked the three Indians to the sec- 
ond mountain, and they found one of the Indians' guns 
a short distance from Brown's corpse, as it had been not 
worth much. They showed me the place where the In- 
dians fired through the fence, and it was just eleven 
yards from the place where the dead man lay. The 
rising ground above the field, was clear of standing tim- 
ber and the grubs low, so that they had kept a look out. 

"The above account you may depend on. We have 
almost lost all hopes of everything, but to move off and 
lose our crops that we have cut with so much difficulty. 

"I am your Honor's servant, 

"Adam Reed. 

"To Edward Shippen^ Esq., at Lancaster." 

Some time in the latter part of October, the Indians 
again visited Hanover township, where they murdered, 
under circumstances of much cruelty, several families, 
among whom was one Andrew Berryhill. On the 2 2d 
of October, they killed John Craig and his wife, scalped 



32 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

them both, burned several houses, and carried off Samuel 
Ainsworth, a lad about thirteen years old. The next day 
they scalped a German, whose name has not been given. 
From entries made in their duplicates by the tax col- 
lectors of East Hanover and West Hanover townships 
for the year 1756, it is shown that the following settlers 
had fled from their houses in that year. The whole du- 
plicate contains the names of about one hundred taxables. 
The names of those who deserted their "clearings," in 
East Hanover, now principally in Lebanon county, have 
come down to us, as follows: • 



Barnhart Bashore, 
Jacob Bashore, 
Matthias Bashore, 
William M'Culloch, 
Philip Colp, 
Casper Yost, 
Conrad Cleck, 
Christian Albert, 
Daniel Moser, 
John M'Clure, 
John Anderson, 
Thomas Shirley, 
James Graham, 
Barnet M'Nett, 
Andrew Brown, 
William Brown, 



Andrew Karsnits, 
John Gilliland, 
John M'Culloch, 
Walter M'Farland, 
Robert Kirkwood, 
William Robeson, 
Valentine Staffolbeim, 
Andrew Clenan, 
Rudolph Fry, 
Peter Walmer, 
John M'Culloch, 
James Rafter, 
Moses Vance, 
John Bruner, 
Frederick Noah, 
Jacob Moser, 
Philip Maurer, 

In West Hanover, all of which is in the present limits of 
this county, we have a list of those driven from their farms, 
containing the following, which is as complete as possible: 



Andrew M'Mahon, 
Thomas Hume, 
Thomas Strean, 
John Hume, 
Peter Wolf, 
Henry Kuntz, 
William Watson, 
John Stewart, 
John Porterfield, 
David Strean, 
John Strean, 
Andrew M'Grath, 
James M' Curry, 
Conrad Rice, 
Alexander Swan, 
John Green. 



John Gordon, 
Richard Johnston, 
Alexander Barnet, 
James M' Caver, 
Robert Porterfield, 
Philip Robeson, 
John Hill, 
Thomas Bell, 
Thomas Maguire, 
William M'Cord, 



Robert Huston, 
Benjamin Wallace, 
William Bennett, 
Bartholomew Harris, 
John Swan, 
James Bannon, 
William M'Clure, 
Thomas M'Clure, 
John Henry, 
James Riddle, 



Widow Cooper, 
David Ferguson, 
W T idow DeArmond, 
James Wilson, 
Samuel Barnett, 
James Brown, 
Widow M'Gowen, 
Samuel Brown, 
Thomas Hill, 
James Johnston, (killed.) 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 33 

Adam Reed, under date of Hanover, October 14, 1 756, 
thus addresses Edward Shippen and others, on the situa- 
tion of affairs in his neighborhood: 

"Friends and Fellow Subjects : 

"I send you in a few lines, the melancholy condition 
of the frontiers of this county. Last Tuesday, the 12th 
inst, ten Indians came to Noah Frederick while plough- 
ing, killed and scalped him, and carried away three of 
his children that were with him — the oldest but nine 
years old — and plundered his house, and carried away 
everything that suited their purpose; such as clothes, 
bread, butter, a saddle, and a good rifle gun, &c, it being 
but two short miles to Capt. Smith's fort at Swatara Gap, 
and a little better than two miles from my house. 

"Last Saturday evening an Indian came to the house 
of Philip Robeson, carrying a green bush before him — 
said Robeson's son, being on the corner of his fort, watch- 
ing others that were dressing flesh by him; the Indian 
perceiving that he was observed, fled; the watchman 
fired, but missed him; this being about three-fourths 
of a mile from Manady Fort; — and yesterday morning, 
two miles from Smith's Fort at Swatara, Mt. Bethel 
township, as Jacob Farnwell was going from the house 
of Jacob Meylin to his own, was fired upon by two Indi- 
ans and wounded, but escaped with his life; — and a little 
after, in said township, as Frederick Hewly and Peter 
Sample were carrying away their goods in wagons, were 
met by a parcel of Indians and all killed, lying dead in 
one place, and one man at a little distance. But what 
more has been done, has not come to my ears — only 
that the Indians were continuing their murders. 

"The frontiers [people] are employed in nothing else 
than carrying off their effects, so that some miles are 
now waste. We are willing, but not able, without help 
— you are able, if you be willing, (that is, including the 
lower parts of the county,) to give such assistance as 



34 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

will enable us to recover our waste land. You may de- 
pend upon it, that, without assistance, we, in a few days, 
will be on the wrong side of you; for I am now on the 
frontier, and I fear that by to-morrow night I will be left 
two miles. 

"Gentlemen: Consider what you will do, and don't be 
long about it; and don't let the world say that we died 
as fools died! Our hands are not tied, but let us exert 
ourselves and do something for the honor of our country 
and the preservation of our fellow subjects. I hope you 
will communicate our grievances to the lower part of our 
county, for surely they will send us help, if they under- 
stood our grievances. 

"I would have gone down myself, but dare not; my 
family is in such danger. I expect an answer by the 
bearer, if possible. 

"I am, gentlemen, 

"Your very humble servant, 

"Adam Reed. 
"Edward SJiippcn and others. 

" P. vS. — Before sending this away, I would mention, 
I have just received information that there are seven 
killed and live children scalped alive, but have not the 
account of their names." 

May 1 6, 1757. Eleven persons killed at Paxton by 
the Indians. 

August 19, 1757. Fourteen people killed and taken 
from Mr. Finley's congregation, and one man killed near 
Harris Ferry, (now Harrisburg). At this period nego- 
tiations for peace commenced with the powerful chieftain 
of the Delaware and ShawaUese tribes, when the barbari- 
ties of the Susquehanna Indians somewhat abated. But 
the French, and western Indians, still roamed in small 
parties over the country, committing many depredations. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 35 

The following extracts are from the Pennsylvania Ga- 
zette, of 1 757: 

"We hear from Lancaster, that six persons were taken 
away by the Indians, from Lancaster county, on the 17th 
August." 

"Since our last, we learn from Lancaster, that there 
was nothing but murdering- and capturing among them 
by the Indians. That on the 1 7th of August, one Beatty 
was killed in Paxton — that the next day James Mackey 
was murdered in Hanover, and William and Joseph Bar- 
nett wounded. That on the same day were taken pris- 
oners a son of James Mackey, a son of Joseph Barnett, 
Elizabeth Dickey and her child, and the wife of Samuel 
Young and her child, and that ninety-four men, women 
and children were seen flying from their places in one 
body, and a great many more in smaller parties. So 
that it was feared the settlements would be entirely for- 
saken." 

"Our accounts in general from the frontiers, are most 
dismal; all agree that some of the inhabitants are killed 
or carried off — houses burned and cattle destroyed daily 
— and at the same time, they are afflicted with severe 
sickness and die fast. So that in many places, they are 
neither able to defend themselves when attacked, nor to 
run away." 

A letter from Hanover township, dated October 1st, 
1757, says that the neighborhood is almost without in- 
habitants, and on that day, and the day before, several 
creatures w r ere killed by the enemy in Hanover. 

On the 25th of November, Thomas Robeson and a son 
of Thomas Bell were killed and scalped by the Indians 
in Hanover township; but the Indians immediately went 
off after committing other murders. 

The following letter was written to Governor Denny 
by the commandant at Fort Hunter, a few miles north <>l 
the present site of Harrisburg: 



36 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

"Fort Hunter, the 3d of October, 1757. 

"May it please Your Honor: 

"In my coming back from ranging the frontiers, on 
Saturday, the 3d inst, I heard that the day before, twelve 
Indians were seen not far from here. As it was late and 
not knowing their further strength, I thought to go at 
day-break next morning, with as many soldiers and bat- 
taux men as I could get; but in a short time heard a 
gun fired off, and running directly to the spot, found the 
dead body of one William Martin, who went into the 
woods to pick up chestnuts, were the Indians were lying 
in ambush. I ordered all the men to run into the woods, 
and we ranged until it got dark. The continued rain 
we have had, hindered me from following them. A num- 
ber of the inhabitants had come here to assist in pur- 
suing the Indians, but the weather prevented them. 
There were only three Indians seen by some persons 
who were sitting before Mr. Hunter's door, and they 
say all was done in less than four minutes. That same 
night I cautioned the inhabitants to be on their guard; 
and in the morning I ranged on this side of the moun- 
tain; but the next day, my men being few in number by 
reason of fourteen of them being sick, I could not be 
long from the garrison ; and it seems to me, there is a 
great number of the enemy on this side of the river. 

"The townships of Paxton and Derry have agreed to 
keep a guard some time in the frontier houses, from 
Manady to Susquehanna; and expect that your Honor 
will be pleased to reinforce this detachment. 

"If these townships should break up the communica- 
tion between Fort Augusta and the inhabitants, they 
would be greatly endangered. 

" I am, with great respect, etc., 

"Christian Busse." 

We have advices, says the Pennsylvania Gazette, Octo- 
ber 27, 1757, from Paxton: 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 37 

"On the 1 7th inst, as four of the inhabitants near Hun- 
ter's Fort, were pulling their Indian corn, when two of 
them — Alexander Watt and John M'Kennet — were killed 
and scalped, their heads cut off; the other two scalped. 
That Captain Work of the Augusta regiment, coming 
down with some men from Fort Halifax, (the present 
site of the town of Halifax,) met the savages on Peter's 
mountain, about twenty of them, when they fired upon 
him at about forty yards distance; upon which his party 
returned the fire and put the enemy to flight, leaving be- 
hind them five horses, with what plunder they had got; 
and that one of the Indians was supposed to have been 
wounded by the blood that was seen in their tracks. 
None of Captain Work's men were hurt." 

The treaty of peace and friendship between the Eng- 
lish and Indians, at Easton in 1758, in some measure 
calmed the apprehensions of the people, and for a time 
the settlers of this region enjoyed a period of rest. But 
the English and French were still at war, and cruel mur- 
ders still continued among the outer settlements down 
to the close of, and after, the war of 1762. The Shaw- 
anese, a ferocious southern tribe of Indians, had formed 
a secret confederacy with the tribes on the Ohio and its 
tributary waters, to attack simultaneously all the English 
posts and settlements on the frontiers. Their plan was 
deliberately and skillfully projected. The border settle- 
ments were to be invaded during harvest; the men, corn 
and cattle were to be destroyed, and by thus cutting off 
the supplies, the out-posts were to be reduced by famine. 
In accordance with this plan, the Indians fell suddenly 
upon the traders, whom they had invited among them. — 
Many of these they murdered, and plundered others of 
their effects, to a great value. The frontiers of Pennsyl- 
vania were again overrun by scalping parties, marking 
in their hostile incursions the way with blood and devas- 



38 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

tation. The upper part of Cumberland county and parts 
ot the present territory of Dauphin county, was overrun 
by savages in 1 76$, who set fire to houses, barns, corn, 
hay and everything that was combustible; and some of 
the inhabitants were surprised and murdered with the 
utmost cruelty and barbarity. 

This well matured onslaught by the Indians, drove the 
whites to acts of desperation, which only find extenua- 
tion from the circumstances, that there were no limits to 
the atrocities of the savages. Wherever they went, 
murder and cruelty marked their path, and even pro- 
fessed friendly Indians had fallen under strong suspicions 
as being, to some extent, concerned in these foul mur- 
ders. 

Jonas Seely, Esq., writing from Reading, September 
11, 1763, said: "We are all in a state of alarm. Indians 
have destroyed dwellings and murdered, with savage 
barbarity, their helpless occupants, even in the neighbor- 
hood of Reading. Where these Indians come from and 
are going, we know not. Send us an armed force to 
aid our rangers of Lancaster and Berks." 

In another letter from the same gentleman, dated 
Reading, September, 1763, he writes: "It is a matter of 
wonder that Indians, living among us for numbers ol 
years, should suddenly become grum friends, or most 
d3adly enemies. Yet there is too much reason lor sus- 
picion. The rangers sent in word that these savages 
must consist of fifty, who travel in companies of from 
five to twenty, visiting Wyalusing, Wichetunk, Nain, Big- 
Island, and Conestoga, under the mark of friendly Indi- 
ans. Our people have become almost infuriated to 
madness. These Indians were not even suspected of 
treachery, such had been the general confidence in their 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 39 

fidelity. The murders recently committed, arc of the 
most aggravated description." 

Similar suspicions of treachery among the professed 
friendly Indians, alluded to in the above letter, had long- 
been prevalent among - the settlers of Paxton and Done- 
gal townships. It was strongly believed by them, that 
the perpetrators of many of the atrocious murders were 
harbored, if not encouraged and assisted, by a settlement 
of friendly Indians at Conestoga, now, as then, in Lan- 
caster county. A deadly animosity was thus raised 
among the people of Paxton and adjoining townships, 
against all of Indian blood, and against the Quakers and 
Moravians — who were disposed to conciliate and protect 
the Indians — frequently, as the Paxton men thought, at 
the expense of the lives of the settlers. 

This feeling among the settlers, finally led to the mas- 
sacre of the Indians at Conestoga manor, on the night 
of the 14th of December, 1763. The accounts of this 
affair, and of similar murders of defenceless Indians in 
the prison at Lancaster, on the 27th of December of the 
same vear, are so various and conflicting-, that it is almost 
impossible to form an intelligent historic narrative of 
them. The act was most probably committed by the 
younger and more hot-blooded members of the Rev. 
Col. Elder's corps of rangers, led by Capt. Lazarus Stew- 
art, a daring partisan, and a man of considerable influ- 
ence and standing in the Paxton settlement. He soon 
afterwards joined the Connecticut men, and became very 
conspicuous in the civil wars of Wyoming. He was ortce 
taken prisoner there, and delivered to the Sheriff of York 
county lor sale-keeping; but his rangers rescued him, 
and he suddenly appeared again with many of them at 
\\ yoming. He was slain near Wilkesbarre, during tin: 



4-0 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Revolution, in the disastrous battle of 3d of July, 1778. 
The following extracts are from a series of historical 
papers in the Lancaster Intelligencer & Journal of 1843, 
written by Redmond Conyngham, Esq.: 

"Imagination cannot conceive the perils with which the 
settlement of Paxton was surrounded from 175410 1765. 
To portray each scene of horror would be impossible — 
the heart shrinks from the attempt. The settlers are 
goaded on to desperation; murder followed murder. 
The scouts brought in the intelligence that the mur- 
derers were traced to Conestoga. Rifles were loaded 
and horses were in readiness. They mounted; they 
called on their pastor to lead them. He was then in the 
57th year of his age. Had you seen him then, you would 
have beheld a superior being. He had mounted, not to 
lead them on to the destruction of Conestoga, but to de- 
ter them from the attempt; he implored them to return; 
he urged them to reflect: "Pause, pause before you pro- 
ceed!" It was in vain: "The blood of the murdered 
cries aloud for vengeance; we have waited long enough 
on Government; the murderers are within our reach, 
and they must not escape." Mr. Elder reminded them, 
that "the guilty and innocent could not be distinguished." 
"Innocent! can they be called innocent who foster mur- 
derers?" Mr. Elder rode up in front, and said: "As 
your pastor, I command you to relinquish your design." 
"Give way then," said Smith, "or your horse dies," pre- 
senting his rifle. To save his horse, to which he was 
much attached, Mr. Elder drew him aside, and the ran- 
gers were of! on their fatal errand." 

The following narrative was drawn up by Matthew 
Smith, one of the chief actors in the massacre: 

"I was an early settler in Paxton, a member of the 
congregation of the Rev. Mr. Elder. I was one of the 
chief actors in the destruction of Conestoga, and in 
storming the work-house in Lancaster. I have been 
stigmatized as a murderer. No man, unless he were 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. .\\ 

living at that time in Paxton, could have an idea of the 
sufferings and anxieties of the people. For years the 
Indians had been on the most friendly terms; but some 
of the traders were bought by the French; these cor- 
rupted the Indians. The savages unexpectedly de- 
stroyed our dwellings and murdered the unsuspicious. 
When we visited the wigwams in the neighborhood, we 
found the Indians occupied in harmless sports, or domes- 
tic work. There appeared no evidence that they were in 
any way instrumental in the bloody acts perpetrated on 
the frontiers. 

"Well do I remember the evening when 



stopped at my door; judge my surprise when I heard 
his tale: "Tom followed the Indians to the Bio- Island; 
from thence they went to Conestoga; as soon as we 

heard it, five of us, , , , , , rode 

off for the village. I left my horse under their care, and 
cautiously crawled where I could get a view; I saw In- 
dians armed; they were strangers; they outnumbered 
us by dozens. I returned without being discovered. We 

meet to-night at ; we shall expect you with gun, 

knife and amunition." We met, and our party, under 
cover of the night, rode off for Conestoga. Our plan 
was well laid; the scout who had traced the Indians, was 
with us; the village was stormed and reduced to ashes. 
The moment we were perceived an Indian fired at us, 
and rushed forward, brandishing his tomahawk. Tom 
cried, "mark him," and he fell by more than one ball. 

ran up and cried: "It is the villain who murdered 

my mother." This speech roused to vengeance, and 
Conestoga lay harmless before us. Our worst fears had 
been realized; these Indians, who had been housed and 
led as the pets of the Province, were now proved to be 
our secret foes: necessity compelled us to do as we did. 
We mounted our horses and returned. Soon we were 
informed, that a number of Indians were in the work- 
house at Lancaster. was sent to Lancaster, to 

get all the news he could. He reported that one of the 
Indians concerned in recent murders was there in safety. 



42 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Also, that they talked of rebuilding- Conestoga, and 
placing these Indians in the new buildings. 

"A few of us met to deliberate; Stewart proposed to 
go to Lancaster, storm their castle, and carry off the 
assassin. It w T as agreed to; the whole plan was arranged. 
Our clergyman did not approve of our proceeding further. 
He thought everything was accomplished by the destruc- 
tion of Conestoga, and advised us to try what we could 
do with the Governor and Council. I, with the rest, was 
opposed to the measure proposed by our good pastor. 
It was painful to us to act in opposition to his will, but 
the Indian in Lancaster was known to have murdered 
the parent of , one of our party. 

"The plan was made: three were chosen to break in 
the doors; five to keep the keepers, &c, from meddling; 
Captain Stewart to remain outside with about twelve 
men, to protect those within, to prevent surprise and 
keep charge of the horses. The three were to secure 
the Indian, tie him with strong cords, and deliver him to 
Stewart. If the three were resisted, a shot was to be 
fired as a signal. I was one of them who entered; you 
know the rest; we fired; the Indians were left without 
life; and we rode hastily from Lancaster. 

"This gave quiet to the frontiers, for no murder of our 
defenceless inhabitants has since happened." 

Matthew Smith, the writer of the above, after the revo- 
lution, in which he performed excellent service and rose 
to high rank in military and civil life, removed to Milton, 
Northumberland county. 

A letter of the Rev. Mr. Elder to Governor Perm, Jan- 
uary 27, 1764, states: 

"The storm which had been so long gathering, has at 
length exploded. Had Government removed the Indi- 
ans from Conestoga, which had frequently been urged 
without success, this painful catastrophe might have been 
avoided. What could I do with men heated to madness? 
All that I could do, was done; I expostulated; but life 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin Comity. 43 

and reason were set at defiance. And yet, the men, in 
private life, are virtuous and respectable; not cruel, but 
mild and merciful. 

"The time will arrive, when each palliating' circum- 
stance will be calmly weighed. This deed, magnified 
into the blackest of crimes, should be considered as one 
of those youthful ebulitions of wrath caused by moment- 
ary excitement, to which human infirmity is subjected." 

In connection with this subject an extract from a re- 
monstrance presented to Governor John Penn, from the 
inhabitants of Lancaster county, is quoted: 

"We consider it a grievance, that we are restrained 
from electing more than ten representatives in the fron- 
tier counties — Lancaster four, York two, Cumberland 
two, Berks one, Northampton one — while the city and 
county of Philadelphia, and the counties of Chester and 
Bucks, elect 26. A bill is now about to be passed into 
a law, that any person accused of taking away the life of 
an Indian, shall not be tried in the county where the deed 
was committed, but in the city of Philadelphia. We can 
hardly believe that the Legislature would be guilty of 
such injustice as to pass this bill, and deprive the people 
of one of their most valuable rig-fits. We protest against 
the passage of such a law, as depriving us of a sacred 
privilege. 

"We complain, that the Governor laid before the Gen- 
eral Assembly letters without signatures, giving- exagger- 
ated and false accounts of the destruction of the Indians 
at Conestoga, and at Lancaster. That he paid but little 
attention to the communications received from our rep- 
resentatives and Mr. Shippen; that certain persons in 
Philadelphia are endeavoring to rouse the fury of the 
people against the magistrates, the principal inhabitants 
of the borough of Lancaster, and the Presbyterians of 
Paxton and Donegal, by gross misrepresentations of 
tacts; that we are not allowed a hearing at the bar of 
the House, or by the Governor; that our rangers have 



44 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

never experienced any favors from Government, either 
by remuneration of their services, or by any act of kind- 
ness; that although there is every reason to believe, that 
the Indians who struck the blow at the Great Cove, re- 
ceived their arms and amunition from the Bethlehem 
Indians, Government protects the murderers at Philadel- 
phia; that six of the Indians now in Philadelphia, known 
to have been concerned in recent murders, and de- 
manded by us, that they may be tried in Northampton 
county, are still at liberty; that Renatus, an Indian who 
was legally arrested and committed on the charge of 
murder, is under the protection of government in Bucks 
county, when he was to be brought to trial in the county 
of Northampton, or the county of Cumberland. Shall 
these things be? 

"Matthew Smith, 
"James Gibsox." 

The following document, printed at the time, is inter- 
esting in this connection: 

"DECLARATION. LET ALL HEAR!" 

"Were the counties of Lancaster, York, Cumberland, 
Berks and Northampton protected by Government? Did 
not John Harris, of Paxton, ask advice of Col. Croghan, 
and did not the Colonel advise him to raise a company 
of scouters, and was not this confirmed by Benjamin 
Franklin? And yet, when Harris asked the Assembly 
to pay the scouting party, he was told that 'he might pay 
them himself.' Did not the counties of Lancaster, York, 
Cumberland, Berks and Northampton, the frontier set- 
tlements, keep up rangers to watch the motions of the 
Indians; and when a murder was committed by an Indi- 
an, a runner with the intelligence was sent to each 
scouting party, that the murderer or murderers might 
be punished? Did we not brave the summer's heat and 
the winter's cold, and the savage tomahawk, while the 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 45 

inhabitants of Philadelphia, Philadelphia county, Bucks 
and Chester 'ate, drank and were merry.' 

"If a white man kill an Indian, it is a murder far ex- 
ceeding any crime upon record; he must not be tried in 
the county where he lives, or where the offence was com- 
mitted, but in Philadelphia, that he may be tried, con- 
victed, sentenced and hung without delay. If an Indian 
kill a white man, it was the act of an ignorant heathen, 
perhaps in liquor; alas, poor innocent ! — he is sent to the 
friendly Indians, that he may be made a Christian. Is it 
not a notorious fact, that an Indian who treacherously 
murdered a family in Northampton county, was given up 
to the magistrates, that Jic might have a regular trial; 
and was not this Indian conveyed into Bucks county, and 
is he not provided with every necessary, and kept secured 
from punishment by Israel Pemberton? Have we not 
repeatedly represented that Conestoga was a harbor for 
prowling savages, and that we were at a loss to tell friend 
or foe, and all we asked was the removal of the Christian 
Indians? Was not this promised by Governor Penn, 
and yet delayed? Have we forgotten Renatus, that 
Christian Indian? A murder of more than savage bar- 
barity was committed on the Susquehanna; the murderer 
was traced by the scouts to Conestoga; he was demand- 
ed, but the Indians assumed a warlike attitude, tomahawks 
were raised, and the fire-arms glistened in the sun; shots 
were fired upon the scouts, who went back for additional 
force. They returned, and you know the event — Cones- 
toga was reduced to ashes. But the murderer escaped. 
The friendly and unfriendly were placed in the work- 
house at Lancaster. What could secure them from the? 
vengeance of an exasperated people? The doors were 
forced, and the hapless Indians perished. Were we 
tamely to look on and see our brethren murdered, and 
see our fairest prospects blasted, while the inhabitants of 
Philadelphia, Philadelphia county, Bucks and Chester, 
slept and reaped their grain in safety? 

"These hands never shed human blood. Why am I 
singled out as an object of persecution? Why are the 



46 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

bloodhounds let loose upon me? Let him who wished 
to take my life — let him come and take it. I shall not 
fly. All I ask is, that the men accused of murder be 
tried in Lancaster county. All I ask is a trial in my own 
county. If these requests are refused, then not a hair 
of those men's heads shall be molested. Whilst I have 
life, you shall not either have me, or them, on any other 
terms. It is true, I submitted to the sheriff of York 
county, but you know too well that I was to be conveyed 
to Philadelphia like a wild felon — manacled — to die a 
felon's death. I would have scorned to fly from York. 
I could not bear that my name should be marked by 
ignomy. What I have done, was done for the security 
of hundreds of settlers on the frontiers. The blood of a 
thousand of my fellow-creatures called for vengeance. 
I shed no Indian's blood. As a ranger I sought the post of 
danger, and now you ask my life. Let me be tried where 
prejudice has not prejudged my case. Let my brave 
rangers, who have stemmed the blast nobly and never 
flinched — let them have an equitable trial; they were my 
friends in the hour of danger — to desert them now, were 
cowardice. What remains, is to leave our cause with 
our God, and our guns. 

"Lazarus Stewart." 

When the news of the transactions at Conestoga and 
Lancaster reached Philadelphia, the authorities removed 
the savages confined on Province Island, to the barracks 
in that city for greater safety. This was deemed neces- 
sary from the fact that large delegations of the frontier 
inhabitants, who determined that the Assembly should 
redress their grievances, were marching on Philadelphia, 
and whose hatred for the Indians was intense. This 
demonstration produced much alarm, in the city, as all 
sorts of rumors were afloa.t as to the objects of the set- 
tlers. The Governor fled to the house of Dr. Franklin, 
and unnecessary military measures were taken to repel 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 47 

the so-called insurgents. Finding that the excitement 
was great, upon consultation among themselves, the ma- 
jority of the Paxtonians concluded to return to their 
homes in Lancaster and Cumberland counties, leaving 
Smith and Gibson to represent them in the real object 
of the march on Philadelphia — a redress of grievances. 

At various periods between 1752 and 1760 the Pro- 
vincial Government erected a line of forts between the 
Delaware river and the Potomac. Of these Fort Hunter, 
Fort Manada, Fort Brown, and Fort Halifax, were in the 
territory which subsequently became the county of Dau- 
phin. 

Fort Hunter, which seems to have been of considera- 
ble importance, was situated at the mouth of Fishing 
creek, about five miles north of Harrisburg. The spot 
was originally settled by the Chambers, but is now well 
known as "McAllisters." 

The precise locality of this fort is not known. Accord- 
ing to a letter of Edward Shippen, Esq., dated April 19, 
1756, it stood five or six hundred feet from Hunter's 
house. It was surrounded by an entrenchment, which, 
however, seems to have been leveled in 1 763. Rev. John 
Elder, who was also a colonel, writing to Gov. Hamilton, 
says: "I have always kept a small party of men stationed 
at Hunter's, still expecting that they would have been re- 
placed by 1 7 or 20 of the Augusta troops, as your honor 
was pleased once to mention ; and if that post is destined 
to be maintained, as the entrenchment thrown up there 
in the beginning of the late troubles, is now level with the 
ground, it will be absolutely necessary to have a small 
stockade erected there to cover the men, which may be 
done at an inconsiderable expense." 



48 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

According to the Commissary General's returns, in 
November, 1756, the state of the garrison at Fort Hunter 
was as follows : " 2 sergeants, 34 privates ; ammuni- 
tion — 4 pounds of powder, 28 pounds of lead ; provi- 
sions — 1,000 weight of Hour, 2,000 pounds of beef; 2 
men's time up." 

In August, 1757, in a petition to the Provincial Coun- 
cil the inhabitants of Paxton set forth "that the evacua- 
tion of Fort Hunter is of great disadvantage to them ; 
that Fort Halifax is not necessary to secure the commu- 
nication with Fort Augusta, and is not so proper a station 
for the batteaux parties as Port Hunter; pray the Gov- 
ernor would be pleased to fix a sufficient number of 
men at Hunter's, under the command of an active officer, 
with strict orders to range the frontiers daily." 

The Rev. John Elder backed this petition with the fol- 
lowing letter to Richard Peters, Secretary of Council: 

"Paxton, 30th July, 1757. 

"Sir: 

"As we of this township have petitioned the Governor 
for a removal of the garrison from Halifax to Hunter's, I 
beg the favor of you to use your interest with his honor 
in our behalf. The defence of Halifax is of no advan- 
taee ; but a earrison at Hunter's under the command of 
an active officer, will be of great service ; it will render 
the carriage of provisions and ammunition for the use 
of Augusta more easy and less expensive ; and by 
encouraging the inhabitants to continue in their places, 
will prevent the weakening of the frontier settlements. 
We have only hinted at these things in the petition, 
which you will please to enlarge on in conversation 
with the Governor, and urge in such a manner as you 
think proper. 'Tis well known that representatives from 
the back inhabitants have but little weight with the gen- 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin Comity. 49 

tlemen in power, they looking on us cither as incapable 
of forming just notions of things, or as biased by selfish 
views. However, I am satisfied that you, sir, have more 
favorable conceptions of us ; and that from the know- 
ledge you have of the situation of the places mentioned 
in our petition, you will readily agree with us and use 
your best offices with the Governor to prevail with him 
to grant it ; and you will very much oblige 
" Sir, your most obedient 

And humble Servant, 

"John Elder." 

Pending the consideration of this question in the Coun- 
cil, Commissary Young was called before that body. He 
stated ''that Fort Halifax is a very bad situation, being 
built between two ranges of hills, and nobody living near 
it, none could be protected by it ; that it is no station for 
batteaux parties, having no command of the channel, 
which runs close on the western shore, and is beside cov- 
ered with a large island between the channel and the 
fort, so that numbers of the enemy may even in day time 
run down the river without being seen by that garrison." 
He further said that though the fort or block house at 
Hunter's was not tenable, being hastily erected and not 
finished, yet the situation was the best upon the river for 
every service, as well as for the protection of the fron- 
tiers. 

The Indians made several invasions near to Fort Hun- 
ter, and as we have already mentioned, killed a man in 
1757. Bartram Galbraith says in a letter, dated Hunter's 
Fort, October 1, 175-7: "Notwithstanding the happy condi- 
tion we thought this place in, on Capt. Busse's being sta- 
tioned here, we have had a man killed within twenty rods 
of Hunter's barn. We all turned out, but night coming 
on soon, we could not make any pursuit." 



50 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

When Col. James Burd visited Fort Hunter in Febru- 
ary, 1758, he says "he found Capt. Patterson and Levis 
here with eighty men. The captain informed me that 
they had not above three loads of ammunition to a man. I 
ordered Mr. Barney Hughes to send up here a barrel of 
powder and lead answerable. In the meantime borrowed 
of Thomas Gallagher four pounds of powder and one 
hundred pounds of lead. I ordered a review of the gar- 
rison to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock." 

We continue from Col. Burd's journal: 

"Tuesday, 19. Had a review this morning of Capt. 
Patterson's company, and found them complete — fifty- 
three men, forty-four province arms, and forty-four car- 
touch boxes — no powder nor lead. I divided one-half 
pint of powder, and lead in proportion, to a man. I found 
in this fort four months' provisions for the garrison. 

"Captain Davis with his party of fifty-five men, was out 
of ammunition. I divided one-half pint of powder and 
lead in proportion to them. Capt. Davis has got twelve 
hundred weight of flour for the batteaux. Sundry of the 
batteaux are leaking and must be left behind. Capt. Pat- 
terson cannot scout at present for want of officers. I or- 
dered him to apply to the country to assist him to stock- 
ade the fort agreeable to their promise to his honor, the 
Governor. There are three men sick here." 

Fort Hunter, or Hunter's mill, like Harris Ferry, 
was a great shipping point for provisions and military 
stores up and down the Susquehanna. As early as 
1749, when Joseph Chambers resided there, the place 
was of some consequence. The Colonial Records 
mention several formal "talks" with the Indians at 
Hunter's Fort. 

Fort Halifax was built at the mouth of Armstrong's 
creek, about half a mile above the present town of Hali- 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 51 

fax. There is nothing now to mark the place, except in 
a slight elevation of the ground and a well known to have 
belonged to the fort. The fort was built in 1756 by Col. 
Wm. Clapham. In a letter to Gov. Morris, dated June 
20, 1756, Col. Clapham says: "The progress already 
made in this fort renders it impracticable for me to com- 
ply with the commissioner's desire to contract it, at which 
I was surprised, as I expected every day orders to 
enlarge it, it being yet, in my opinion, too small. I shall 
have an officer and thirty men with orders to finish it 
when I march from hence." In a postscript the colonel 
adds : "The fort at this place is without a name till your 
honor is pleased to confer one." 

Gov. Morris replied to this letter, as follows : 

"Philadelphia, June 21, 1756. 

"The fort at Armstrong — I would have it called 'Fort 
Halifax'." 

Col. Clapham was under orders to proceed to Shamo- 
kin, and previous to embarking for that post, he wrote 
to Governor Morris, under date of July 1, 1756, as fol- 
lows: "I shall leave a seargeant's party at Harris, 
consisting of twelve men, twenty-four at Hunter's 
Fort, twenty-four at M'Kee's store (twenty-five miles 
above Fort Hunter), each under the command of an 
ensign; and Captain Miles, with thirty men, at Fort 
Halifax, with the inclosed instructions, as I have removed 
all the stores from Harris Ferry and M'Kee's to this 
place." 

The instructions to Captain Miles, above mentioned, 

were as follows: 

"Fort Halifax, July 1, 1756. 
"Sir; 

"You are to command a party of thirty men at Fort 
Halifax, which you are to finish with all possible expedi- 



52 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

tion, observing not to suffer your party to straggle in 
small numbers into the woods, or to go any great dis- 
tance from the fort, unless detached as an escort, or in 
case of special orders for that purpose. You are to 
build barracks within the fort for your men, and also a 
store house, thirty feet by twelve, in which you are care- 
fully to lodge all provisions, stores, &c, belonging to the 
province. If the boards purchased for that purpose are 
not sufficient to finish the banquette, and execute the 
other designs herein recommended, your men are to be 
employed in sawing more out of the pine logs now lying 
near the fort. You are to keep a constant guard, and 
relieve regularly, to have continual one sentry in each 
bastion, and in case of attack, to retreat to the fort, and 
defend it to the last extremity. 

"If anything extraordinary occurs, you are immediately 
to dispatch notice thereof to his Honor, the Governor, 
and to signify the same to me, if any relief or instructions 
may be necessary. 

"William Clapham." 

Besides these regular provincial forts, there were sev- 
eral others, built by the settlers themselves. Such were 
Forts Manady (near the present Manada Furnace) and 
Brown (near Adam Reed's, at the "big bend" of Swatara). 
Some of the more substantial dwelling houses of the 
settlers were also converted into block-houses, and, in 
times of danger, became rallying points for the people. 
The Colonial Records mention several of those as 
existing in Hanover and Paxton townships. 

In a letter, dated October 29, 1755, John Harris 
writes: "I have this day cut loop-holes in my house, and 
am determined to hold out to the last extremity, if I can 
get some men to stand by me." He subsequently 
strengthened his defences by erecting a stockade, which 
is mentioned by Edward Shippen in a letter to Governor 
Morris, under date of April 19, 1756. — "John Harris has 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 53 

built an excellent stockade around his house, which is 
the only place of security that way for the provisions of 
the army, he having much good cellar room; and as he 
has but six or seven men to guard it, if the Government 
would order six more men there to strengthen it, it 
would, in my opinion, be of great use to the cause." 



54 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County 



THE COUNTY DURING THE REVOLUTION. 



The first murmurings of British exaction from Boston 
excited our population to action, and in nearly every set- 
tlement of Lancaster county, meetings of sympathy were 
held, and strong resolves adopted, responsive to the 
Boston complainings. The tax on tea and the stamp 
duties were trifles. The people of this county knew 
nothing of thern, and probably cared no more. The 
principle of the movement was deeper — more fundamen- 
tal: the love of self-government; "the glorious privilege 
of being independent." The excitement was general 
throughout the county. Individuals opposed it, and from 
different, though equally pure, motives. Some supposed 
resistance to the laws to be hopeless at that time, and 
advised to wait for more strength and resources; others 
were influenced by religious considerations, just as pure 
and as potent as had influenced their fathers aforetime. 
But the county was nearly unanimous in its resistance 
to British claims, and saw in them the commencement of 
a colonial servitude, degrading, and threatening the future 
progress of the country in its destined path to wealth 
and glory. 

The remote position of the county from the scenes of 
strife, and the march of armies, preclude the writer from 
describing battle-fields, victories won, or villages sacked, 
anywhere within its limits. We have no means of de- 
termining the amount of force in men or money furnished 
by the county in aid of the war. From the tone of the 
votes and resolves passed at the various meetings, and 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 55 

from the number of officers and men, continental and 
militia, who joined the army, we may venture the asser- 
tion, that no county in the State, of no greater population 
than this, gave more efficient aid in various ways, or man- 
ifested by its acts more devoted patriotism. 

At an assembly of the inhabitants of Hanover, Lancas- 
ter county, (since Dauphin,) held on Saturday, June 4, 
1774, Col. Timothy Green, chairman, to express their 
sentiments on the state of affairs, it was unanimously re- 
solved, 

"ist. That the recent action of the Parliament of Great 
Britain is iniquitous and oppressive. 

"2d. That it is the bounden duty of the people to op- 
pose every measure which tends to deprive them of their 
just prerogatives. 

"3d. That in a closer union of the Colonies lies the safe- 
guard of the people. 

"4th. That in the event of Great Britain attempting to 
force unjust laws upon us by the strength of arms, our 
cause we leave to Heaven and our rifles. 

"5th. That a committee of nine be appointed who shall 
act for us and in our behalf as emergencies may require." 

The committee consisted of Col. Timothy Green, 
James Carothers, Josiah Espy, Robert Dixon, Thomas 
Copenheffer, William Clark, James Stewart, and John 
Rogers. 

These individuals were all prominent men in Hanover 
township, and with the exception of Captain Copenheffer, 
they were Scotch-Irish. James Carothers served under 
Col. Armstrong at Kittatinny, and was wounded. His 
family emigrated to the west. The descendants of Jo- 
siah Espy yet reside in the county. Clark, Stewart and 
Barnett, it is thought, removed shortly after to the Buf- 
falo valley, and took a prominent part in the struggle 
for Independence. 



56 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

We have this minute of another meeting: 

"July 25, 1776. This is to certify that we, the associa- 
tors of Derry township, in Lancaster county, province 
of Pennsylvania, in the Fourth Battalion, commanded by 
James Burd, Colonel, do bind ourselves in all the rules 
and regulations made by the honorable Congress for the 
militia of this Commonwealth. 

Derry township, July 25, 1776. We, the undersigned, 
are willing: to serve in the Fourth Battalion, commanded 
by Col. James Burd, agreeable to order of Congress, and 
agree to serve until the first day of November, 1776, in 
the land service of the country in favor of the flag of 
liberty. 

Frederick Hummel, Samuel Ramsey, 

Alexander Montgomery, Peter Grove, 
David Hummel, Mathias Hoover, 

Philip Blessing, John M'Farlane, 

Philip Fishburn, George Lauer, 

Henry Miller, Thomas Rowland. 

Nicholas Zimmerman, 

Frederick Hummel was afterwards captain of this 
company. 

Contributions in support of the war were not confined 
to the payment of heavy taxes, but voluntary aid came 
from associations and individuals in every quarter. 

John Harris, the first settler, and father of the founder 
of Harrisburg, was one of those who when independ- 
ence was agitated thought the Declaration premature. 
He feared that the Colonies were unequal to the task of 
combating with Great Britain. But when Independence 
was formally declared, he read the Declaration from a 
Philadelphia newspaper to his wife in the presence of 
their son. When he had concluded it, he remarked: 
"The act is now done, and we must now take sides either 
for or against the country. The war in which we are 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 57 

about to engage cannot be carried on without money. 
Now we have ,£3,000 in the house, and if you are agreed 
I will take the money to Philadelphia and put it into the 
public treasury to carry on the war. If we succeed in 
obtaining our independence we may lose the money — as 
the government may not be able to pay it back — but we 
will get our land." She consented, and he carried the 
money to Philadelphia and deposited it in the treasury, 
taking certificates in return. After the war he sold these 
certificates for 1 7s. 6d. in the pound. After the debt was 
funded, certificates rose to 25s. in the pound. 

A number of additional facts bearing testimony to the 
patriotism of our citizens during the revolution will be 
found, in Dr. Egle's Historical Sketch, in the Appendix. 



58 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 



FORMATION OF THE COUNTY. 



We commence our sketch of the formation of the 
county with a general history of the townships within that 
portion of the county of Lancaster, which was subse- 
quently set off to Dauphin, as well as the territory taken 
from the latter to form the county of Lebanon; the data, 
which is derived from a valuable work, now quite rare, 
prepared by Joseph Miller, Esq., formerly clerk to the 
County Commissioners, under whose authority it was 
published. 

The Legislature of the Province of Pennsylvania, by 
an act passed May 10, 1729, erected the county of Lan- 
caster with very extensive limits, not necessary to de- 
scribe here further than to say, they embraced the pres- 
ent territory of Lancaster, Dauphin, Lebanon and part of 
Berks counties. 

Among the records of the Court of Quarter Sessions, 
of Lancaster county, are the following entries: 

"Boundaries of the townships in Lancaster county, as 
they were settled and agreed upon by the magistrates 
and inhabitants of the said county, the 9th day of June, 
and confirmed by the Court of Quarter Sessions the first 
Tuesday in August ensuing, Anno Domini 1729." 

Then follow the names and boundaries of a number 
of townships, covering the territory of the county from 
its southern lines to the Kittatinny mountain, among 
which occur the names of Derry, Peshtank and Lebanon 
townships, which afterwards became Dauphin county, 
which are severally described as follows: 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 59 

"DERRY, 1729. 

'"The township of Derry, beginning at the mouth of 
Conewago creek, thence up Susquehanna to the mouth 
of Swatara, thence up Swatara to the mouth of Ouitopo- 
hollo, thence south on a direct line to Conowago, and 
thence down the same to the beginning.' 

"The eastern boundary of this township as originally 
adopted, seems to be involved in some uncertainty; to 
pursue the letter of the foregoing order, to run south on 
a direct line from the mouth of the Quittopohilla creek to 
Conowago creek, would strike the latter something like 
seven miles lower down than the point which, from every- 
thing which can now be discovered, seems to have been 
originally adopted as the southeast corner of Derry 
township — that, instead of running the eastern line of the 
township south on a direct line, as the record calls for, 
the Quittopohilla creek, Killinger's run, and a line south- 
east from the head of that run to strike the Conowago 
creek, seems most probable, if not entirely certain. This 
is inferred from the following facts : First — All the ter- 
ritory which lay between the Susquehanna river and the 
eastern boundary of Lebanon township, and between the 
Conowago creek and the mountain, was at the same time 
divided into three townships, viz: Peshtank, Derry and 
Lebanon. To adhere to a line directly south from the 
mouth of the Quittopohilla, would have left the territory 
of Derry township very limited as compared with that of 
the other two townships. By adopting the Quittopohilla, 
&c, as the eastern boundary of Derry, that township was 
still less than either of the other two; but of course, bore 
a better proportion to them. Second — In the year 176S 
the inhabitants of Derry township applied to the Court 
for a division of the township, on the grounds that its 
boundaries were "very large and extensive'' 1 and asking 
that the division line might be a certain road "leading 
from Conowago creek, by the widow Hall's, to the Swa- 
tara creek at Felix Landis', senior." This prayer was 
granted by the Court, and that road adopted as the di- 



60 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

viding line, and the eastern division directed to be called 
Londonderry township. Now, if in the year 1768 a line 
directly south from the mouth of the Ouittopohilla to the 
Conewago creek was considered as the eastern bounda- 
ry of Derry township, a division of it by the road before 
mentioned would have been most objectionable, as it 
would have left Londonderry township but a mere slip of 
territory, for some distance not a mile wide. And lastly — 
If the Ouittopohilla creek, &c, was not considered in 
1768 as the originally adopted eastern boundary of Der- 
ry township, how or when was the township of London- 
derry brought up to that line ? There is no record or 
authority found, creating the township of Londonderry 
other than by the division of Derry in 1768 before men- 
tioned, nor any afterwards extending the limits of the 
former eastward, and yet it is certain that Londonderry 
extended eastward to the Ouittopohilla and Killinger 
run line in 1799, when on the occasion of a division of 
Lebanon township, Londonderry was called for on that 
line as may be seen on reference to Annville township. 
Upon these grounds the conclusion, that the Ouittopo- 
hilla creek, Killinger' s run and a line southeast from the 
head of that run to the Conewago creek, was the origi- 
nally adopted eastern boundary of Derry township, 
seems to be warranted ; notwithstanding it must be ad- 
mitted that that line does not appear to be in strict ac- 
cordance with the foreofoino- record. 

"PESHTANK TOWNSHIP, 1729. 

'"The township of Peshtank, beginning at the mouth 
of the Swatara, thence up the river to Kohtohtoning hill 
above Peter Allen's, thence eastward by the south side 
of the said hill to the meridian of Ouotopohollo mouth, 
thence on a south course to the mouth of the same at 
Swatara, and down Swatara to the beginning.' 

"LEBANON TOWNSHIP, 1729. 

'"Lebanon township, beginning under the aforesaid 
hill at the northeast corner of Peshtank, thence by the 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 6\ 

said hill easterly to the meridian of the west line of Tol- 
pohocken Manor, thence southerly and by the said line 
to the hills bounding Warwick township, thence by the 
said hills and township westerly to the corner of Derry 
on Conowago, thence northerly by Derry and Peshtank 
to the place of beginning.' 

"Assuming the 'Kohtohtoning hill,' mentioned in the 
above records, to be the lower or southmost of the range 
of mountains, the three townships of Derry, Peshtank 
and Lebanon, at their organization in 1729, embraced all 
the territory south of that mountain, which subsequently 
became part of Dauphin county, except that portion of 
Heidelburg township, which was thrown into Dauphin on 
the division of Dauphin from Lancaster county. The 
northeast corner of Lebanon township, as described 
above, was afterwards cut off by the division line be- 
tween Berks and Lancaster counties. The Lebanon 
township record above given calls for the Kohtohtoning 
hill, from the northeast corner of Peshtank to the meri- 
dian of the west line of the Tolpohocken manor; that 
point at the hill has been assumed to correspond with 
the east line of Lebanon township, as given on Smith's 
map, and is found by examination of drafts in the Sur- 
veyor General's office to correspond in position and 
course with the west line of Tulpohocken manor. 

"HANOVER TOWNSHIP, 1739. 

"At February Sessions, 1736-J, a petition was pre- 
sented to the court of Lancaster county, stating that 
many of the inhabitants of Derry township, living on the 
northwest side of the Swatara creek, labored under incon- 
veniences by reason of the largeness of the township, 
and asking to be divided from the other part thereof, and 
that their bounds might be as follows: 'To be divided 
on the west from Peshtank by Beaver creek, from its 
mouth to the mountain ; from Lebanon on the east and 
Derry on the south, by Swatara creek from Beaver creek 
mouth to the forks, and thence by the north branch 
thereof to the mountain,' which was allowed by the court 



62 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

and ordered to be recorded, and that the said township 
be called 'Hanover.' The boundaries of this township are 
all natural and therefore cannot easily be mistaken; but 
there is an evident mistake in stating - the petitioners to 
be inhabitants of Derry township, residing northwest of 
the Swatara creek, and that their prayer was for a division 
of Derry township. A glance at the boundaries of Der- 
ry will show that there was no part of that township 
on the northwest side of Swatara creek, and the division 
lines asked for and granted did not touch upon the terri- 
tory at all. The mistake is not of any practical import- 
ance, but seems evident that the petition was from inhab- 
itants of Peshtank, and for a division of that township. 
Hanover as thus laid off, embraced parts of what was be- 
fore Peshtank and Lebanon townships. 

"BETHEL TOWNSHIP, 1739. 

"The Court of Quarter Sessions of Lancaster county in 
May, 1 739, on the application of inhabitants of Lebanon 
township, setting forth that they labored under several 
disadvantages by the largeness of the township, and pray- 
ing the same may be divided into two townships, and one 
of them be called Bethel; 'Ordered by the Court that 
the division line begin at Swatara creek, at a stony ridge 
about half a mile below John Tittler's and continuing 
along the said ridge easterly to Tulpohocken township, 
to the north of Tobias Pickle's, so as in its course to leave 
John Benagle, Adam Steel, Thomas Ewersly and Mathias 
Tice to the southward of the said line; that the norther- 
most division be called the township of Bethel, and the 
southern division continue the name of Lebanon.' This 
division was made by a single line run across the town- 
ship of Lebanon from the Swatara creek to the original 
east line of that township, consequently that portion of 
the territory which was afterwards cut off by the Berks 
county line, was a part of Bethel township from this divi- 
sion in 1739 until the Berks county line was run, which 
was in the year 1752. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 63 

"BERKS COUNTY, 1752. 

"The Legislature of the Province, by an act passed 
March 1 1, 1752, erected the county of Berks, separating 
the new county on the southwest from Lancaster by the 
line which subsequently continued to be the dividing- line 
between Dauphin and Berks counties, and the same 
which at present divides Lebanon from Berks, and 
Dauphin from Schuylkill counties. This line, as before 
stated, cut off a portion of Bethel township, and will be 
referred to hereafter in relation to the boundaries of 
townships. 

"At the time the county of Berks was erected, the 
townships of Warwick, Heidleburg and Cocalico had ex- 
istence in Lancaster county: they either adjoined the 
south and east sides of Lebanon township, or were lo- 
cated in that neighborhood. At February sessions, 
1757, the inhabitants of the township of Heidleburg peti- 
tioned the court, stating their difficulties arising out of the 
largeness of their township, and that there was a consid- 
erable body of land laying between the townships of 
Heidleburg, Lebanon, Warwick and Cocalico, that had 
not before then been erected into or annexed to any 
township, and praying for a reconstruction of said town- 
ships: upon which the court ordered and designated the 
boundaries of several townships, among which was Hei- 
dleburg, as follows: 

"HEIDLEBURG TOWNSHIP, 1757. 

"'Beginning at the south side of Joseph Cratzer's land, 
bounding upon Lebanon and extending by the same 
northerly to Bethel township; thence easterly along 
Bethel to Tulpohocken township, in Berks county; 
thence by the same to Cocalico township, to Valentine 
Feeman's ; thence by the same and by Elizabeth town- 
ship to the place of beginning.' This gives the bounda- 
ries of Heidleburg township as they were when Dauphin 
county was subsequently taken from Lancaster, and as 
they remained so long as Heidleburg township was a 
portion of Dauphin county. 



64 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

"UPPER PAXTON TOWNSHIP, 1767. 

"At a Court of Quarter Sessions, held at Lancaster in 
August, 1767, a petition was presented from inhabitants 
of Lower Paxton township, stating that some time ago 
Upper Paxton, above the Narrows, was a separate town- 
ship from Lower Paxton, and had their annual officers; 
James Murry and William Clark served as constables in 
said Paxton above the Narrows, and they had their own 
inspectors, &c; and learning that the inhabitants of Up- 
per Paxton, above the Narrows, had petitioned the court 
for a road from the Narrows to James Reed's, and ob- 
tained an order for a view of the same as in Lower Pax- 
ton, which alarmed the petitioners, and they therefore 
prayed the court to grant them relief by confirming a di- 
vision line of said townships. Whereupon the court 
'ordered that the partition line between Upper and 
Lower Paxton be made from the mouth of Fishing- creek, 
where it empties into Susquehanna, and from thence 
along the top of Kittatenia mountain, next to Lozver 
Paxton, to Beaver creek.' 

"There does not appear to be any record of the court 
previous to the date of the above, establishing, or in any 
way recognizing the existence of Upper Paxton town- 
ship. The minutes of the Court of Quarter Sessions, 
which usually exhibit the townships and the names of the 
constables for each at the commencement of each ses- 
sion, does not notice either the name of Upper Paxton 
township, or any constable as from such township, until 
after the date of the order of 1 767 ; that order is the only 
record found creating this township at all, and as it has in 
that order no northern limit assigned, it may be taken that 
from August, 1767, Upper Paxton embraced at least all the 
territory subsequently assigned to Dauphin county, from 
the lower mountain to the Mahantongo creek, subject, 
however, to a debatable question whether Hanover 
township extended northward by the second mountain; a 
question which is noticed more at large under the head 
'Hanover, East and West.' 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 65 

"LONDONDERRY TOWNSHIP, 1768. 

"February Sessions, 1768. — 'The court, taking into 
consideration a petition preferred to them by the inhab- 
itants of Deny township, setting forth that the bounds of 
the said township were very extensive and large, and the 
inhabitants thereof labored under several inconveniences 
by reason thereof, and praying the said court to divide 
the said township into two parts, according to a bounda- 
ry line agreed upon by the said inhabitants, to wit : 

'"Along a certain road leading from Conewago creek, by 
the widow Hall's; thence to Felix Landis, senior, at Swa- 
tara creek, which said road is to fall into the east part of 
the said township, and that the said part be known by the 
name of Londonderry, and that the west part of said 
township retain the name of Derry. It is considered and 
ordered by the court that the said township be divided 
agreeable to the prayer of said petition, and that the said 
part to the east be known by the name of Londonderry, 
and the west end be known by the name of Derry, which 
said division line is hereby confirmed to be and remain 
firm and stable forever, and as such to be entered of 
record.' The reasons for adopting the Ouittopohilla 
creek, &c, as the eastern boundary, are stated under the 
head of Derry township, and need not be repeated here. 
For subsequent alterations in the lines of this township, 
see 'Derry and Londonderry Re-formed.' 

"DIVISION OF HANOVER INTO EAST AND 
WEST HANOVER, 1785. 

"February Sessions, 1785. — 'The court, taking into 
consideration the limits of the township of Hanover and 
great difficulties of the several officers therein in dis- 
charging their respective duties, on due consideration 
and advisement, do direct a division thereof by a small 
stream of water running through the same, which is 
called the West Branch of Priest's run, and rises on the 
lands of Philip Rank, and from thence by the said stream 
or run of water until it empties itself into Swatara creek 



66 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

at Michael Brown's mill ; and do further denominate that 
division which is next to Jonestown, by the name of East 
Hanover, and the other division thereof by the name of 
West Hanover.' The stream of water called Priest's 
run in the foregoing record, is not found by that name on 
Mr. Smith's map, nor is any one now living in that section 
of the county who knows of a stream by that name ; but 
from the best information which has been obtained, that 
marked on Smith's map and now generally known as 
Raccoon creek, was the dividing line between East and 
West Hanover townships down to the year 1813, when 
Lebanon county was taken from Dauphin, the northwest 
line of which runs in the neighborhood of Raccoon creek, 
and, indeed, the head of that creek is made one of the 
points of that line, and the running of that line so near 
the dividing line of East and West Hanover townships, 
made it of but little practical importance where the sep- 
arating line of the two townships was; it may, however, 
be assumed with reasonable certainty that Raccoon creek 
was the line. 

"There is another question which it seems proper, and 
in place here to refer to, it is as to the true boundary on 
the north of East and West Hanover townships; in 
point of what may be called practice, it seems those town- 
ships were held to extend to the second mountain at least 
from an early day; if the records are consulted it by no 
means is certain that the practice was in accordance with 
them, or that there was any authority until a later day, 
for supposing those townships extended beyond the first 
mountain, other than long usage. When the township 
of Peshtank was erected, in 1729, it extended from Swa- 
tara creek to Kohtohtoning hill, above Peter Allen's; 
where Peter Allen's was, or whether the first mountain 
of the range was the only one known by the name of 
Kohtohtoning, it is now impossible to know; the proba- 
bility is that start from below and running up the river, 
if it had been intended to pass the first mountain and 
adopt the second, it would have been so stated; this, 
however, is but conjecture. The next matter of record 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 67 

bearing on the question, occurs when Hanover township 
was erected in 1 J2>7'- Beaver creek from its mouth to the 
mountain, was made the dividing line between Hanover 
and Peshtank; Beaver creek had its source at the south- 
ern base of the first mountain, and the division line was 
extended no farther. It should have been stated before, 
when referring to the boundaries of Peshtank, that when 
the Kothtohtoning hill was reached, the line run eastward 
by the south side of said hill to the meridian of the mouth 
of Ouittopohilla creek. Again, in the year 1767, the 
court ordered the division line between Upper and 
Lower Paxton townships to be made from the mouth of 
Pishing creek; thence along the top of Kittatinia moun- 
tain, next to Lower Paxton, to Beaver creek. Hanover 
township was divided into East and West in the year 
1785; the dividing line was a run, having its source on 
the south side of the first mountain. In this case, like 
that of the division of Peshtank and Hanover, the record 
provides no line extending beyond the first mountain. 
The practice of treating the territory between the first 
and second mountains as within the Hanovers, probably 
originated soon after the organization of Dauphin coun- 
ty, in the year 1785. The question whether East Han- 
over township extended beyond the first mountain in the 
year 1 796, occurred in the trial of the case of Gloninger 
vs. Goddard, in the Common Pleas of Lebanon county, 
and which is reported in 5th Watts, 221. The under- 
standing and practice before mentioned was fully proved 
on that trial ; in the Supreme Court, however, although it 
was not thought necessary to the question, the Judge who 
delivered the opinion of the Court clearly intimated that 
the records showed the first mountain to be the true 
boundary. This question and these matters relating to 
it are here merely referred to as a part of the history of 
township boundaries, and not to be understood as sug- 
gesting any existing difficulty; incidently the second 
mountain has become the record line of West Hanover, 
as ma)' be seen on reference to the records establishing 



68 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Rush township, in 1820, and the division of West Hano- 
ver township in 1842. 

"DAUPHIN COUNTY. 

" By an act of Assembly passed on the 4th March, 1 785, 
Dauphin county was erected, the entire territory of which 
was taken from the county of Lancaster, according to the 
following boundaries, viz: 'Beginning on the west side 
of the river Susquehanna, opposite to the mouth of the 
Conewago creek; thence up the middle of the said creek 
to Moore's mill; and from thence to the head of said 
creek; and from thence by a direct line to the southeast 
corner of Heidleburg township, where it strikes the 
Berks county line; thence northwest, by the line of 
Berks county, to the Mahantango creek; thence by the 
same, by the line of Northumberland county and cross- 
ing the river Susquehanna, to the line of Cumberland 
county; thence down the Susquehanna, on the west side 
thereof, by the line of Cumberland county and that part 
of the line of York county, to the place of beginning, on 
the west side of the river Susquehanna.' These boundaries 
embrace the whole bed of the Susquehanna river, to low 
water mark on the western shore, and it seems to have 
followed as a consequence, that all township lines pre- 
viously butting on the river, were extended to the west- 
ern shore." 

The county derives its name from the dauphin of 
France, (the eldest son of the King,) as a token of re- 
gard for the assistance rendered by his father, Louis 
XVI., to the Americans during the Revolution. 

"MIDDLE PAXTON TOWNSHIP, 1787. 

"At a Court of Quarter Sessions, held in Dauphin 
county in the month of August, 1787, an order was is- 
sued to commissioners to take into consideration the ne- 
cessity and propriety of dividing Upper Paxton township, 
who reported a dividing line, 'Commencing at the river 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 69 

Susquehanna, at the mouth of a run emptying into the 
said river and running from Jacob Strickler's spring, and 
thence along the different courses of the said run to the 
place where the said spring extracts out of the earth, and 
from thence by a direct line to the dividing ridge; thence 
along the said ridge to the extremity thereof, to the line 
of Berks county.' 

"The court directed the township to be divided, agree- 
ably to this report, from the said line to the: upper 
boundary of Lower Paxton, to be called Middle Paxton. 

"HARRISBURG BOROUGH, 1791. 

"The town of Harrisburg was incorporated and made 
a borough by an act of Assembly passed on the 13th of 
April, 1 79 1, with the following boundaries, viz: 

'"Beginning at low water mark on the eastern shore 
of the Susquehanna river; thence by the pine apple tree 
north 60^ degrees, east 79. perches, to an ash tree on 
the west bank of Paxton creek ; thence by the several 
courses thereof 323 perches to a white hickory in Wil- 
liam Maclay line; thence by the same south 67^ de- 
grees, west 212, to a marked chestnut oak, on the east- 
ern bank of the Susquehanna; thence by the same course 
to low water mark ; and from thence by the low water 
mark to the place of beginning.' 

"This act of 1791 was repealed by the act passed Feb- 
ruary 1, 1808, but the first section of the latter act pro- 
vided that the boundaries of Harrisburg should continue 
as fixed by the act of 1791. By the 17th section of an 
act of Assembly passed April 16, 1838, it is provided that 
from and after the passage of the act 'the northwestern 
boundary line of the borough of Harrisburg, as incorpo- 
rated by the act of 13 April, 1791, shall be extended 
and enlarged, as follows, to wit: 

'"Beginning at the southwest corner of the present 
boundary line on Susquehanna river; thence extending 
along the same, at low water mark, to the upper corner 
and line of the land of the late William Maclay on said 



jo Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

river, in Susquehanna township, and thence by a parallel 
line to Paxton creek; thence along- said stream to the 
northwest corner of the present boundary line of the said 
borough of Harrisburof, so as to include the whole village 
or town of Maclaysburg within the limits of the aforesaid 
borough of Harrisburof.' 

"The position of the new line from the river to Paxton 
creek was established in 1847, m proceedings, to deter- 
mine that line of Susquehanna township which is given 
under the head of that township." 

Further reference to Harrisburg will be found in our 
description of the towns in the county. 

"ANNVILLE TOWNSHIP, 1799. 

"An order of the Court of Quarter Sessions of Dau- 
phin county was issued at June Sessions, 1799, to com- 
missioners to examine and report a line dividing the 
township of Lebanon, as nearly as might be for the con- 
venience of the people, into two equal parts. To this 
order the said commission reported the following line of 
division, to wit: 

"'Beginning at the line between Bethel township and 
Lebanon township; thence by lands of Jacob Boltz, John 
Miller, Adam Heylman, John Heylman, junior, John 
Heylman, Michael Krider, Christian Long, Abraham 
Long, Herman Long, Peter Forney, John Gingrich, 
Martin Carmony, Jacob Hegea, John Heiss, Michael 
Urich, Christian Bachman, and Robert Coleman, Es- 
quire, south four degrees, east 2,520 perches, to a marked 
black oak, at the line between Londonderry township 
and the township of Lebanon aforesaid.' 

"This report was confirmed by the Court at September 
Sessions, 1 799, and it was ordered that it be thereafter 
designated upon the records of the court by the name of 
Annville township. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 71 

"SWATARA TOWNSHIP, 1799. 

"The court, at their September sessions, in the year 
1 799, issued an order to commissioners to view Lower 
Paxton township, and report to the next sessions, a line 
dividing said township as nearly as might be for the con- 
venience of the people, into two equal parts; to which 
order the commissioners made return, that they had made 
a division of the said township by a line 

'" Beginning- at the Paxton creek, where the breast of 
Landis' mill dam formerly stood ; thence south 85 degrees, 
east 192 perches, to a hickory in the land of John Neis- 
ley ; thence south 76 degrees, east 375 perches, to a 
black oak in the land of Joshua Elder, Esq.; thence 
south 80 degrees, east 135^ perches, to the fence of the 
idieb land belono-ino- to the Paxton meeting house ; 
thence south 85 degrees, east 667 perches, to a chestnut 
tree in Christian Page's field; thence 340 perches to Mi- 
chael Cassel's bake oven ; thence 200 perches to the 
house of George Reese; thence 262 perches to a marked 
hickory on the bank of Beaver creek, on land of Jacob 
Siders.' 

"This report was confirmed by the court, and it was 
ordered that it be entered of record, and that the south- 
ern division be designated upon the records of the court 
by the name of Swatara township. The foregoing shows 
the divsion line between Lower Paxton and Swatara 
townships in the year 1799; subsequently Lower Paxton 
township was again divided and Susquehanna township 
taken from it by a line from the mountain to somewhere 
near the centre of the line of Swatara, giving the south- 
ern section of the division to Susquehanna ; thus making 
the before described Swatara line in part the dividing- 
line between Susquehanna and Swatara townships. In 
the year 1842 the court issued an order to commission- 
ers to view, ascertain and establish and lay out a line of 
division between Susquehanna and Swatara townships 
from the bridge over Paxton creek at the junction of 



72 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Market and Chestnut streets, in the line of the borough 
of Harrisburg, to the corner between the townships of 
Swatara, Susquehanna and Lower Paxton. The com- 
missioners reported the following line, to wit: 

'"Beginning at the corner between the said townships 
of Swatara, Susquehanna and Lower Paxton where the 
eastern branch of Keenbertz' mill dam crosses the same, 
and where a public road from said mill crosses said 
branch ; thence down said branch and mill dam, along the 
west side thereof by the several courses, 39^ perches to 
the forks of said dam; thence by the western fork of said 
dam and branch, and along the north side thereof, by 
their several courses, 68 perches, to a point where said 
branch is crossed by a road leading to Keenbertz' mill, 
and opposite the mouth of a run entering said branch 
from the southwest; thence crossing said branch and up 
said run and ravine along which it Flows by their several 
courses, 94^ perches to a hickory in or near the line of 
lands of F. Rudy; thence by said line north 88^ de- 
grees, west 93 perches, to the forks of a stream rising 
near a stone corner between lands of the heirs of Joshua 
Elder and Jacob Pancake, deceased, in said Rudy's line; 
thence down said stream, by the several courses thereof, 
88 perches to its junction with Rutherford's run; thence 
clown Rutherford's run two perches to the mouth of Hile- 
man's run; thence up Hileman's run, by the several 
courses thereof, 119 perches to the line of James Her- 
rington, where a road crosses said run; thence by the 
line of Herrington's land, south 67^ degrees, west 109 
perches, to where said line strikes the head waters of a 
run which leads across the Downingtown and Ephrata 
turnpike road; thence down said run, by the several 
courses thereof, 153 perches to the middle of said turn- 
pike and a bridge across said run ; thence along the mid- 
dle of said turnpike road to the middle of the bridge over 
Paxton creek aforesaid, by the following courses and dis- 
tances: north 74 degrees, west 68 perches, to an angle; 
north 74% degrees, west 213 perches to an angle on Al- 
lison's hill; north 66 degrees, west 51^ perches to the 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 73 

junction of said turnpike with the Jonestown road, and 
south yS 1 /^. degrees, west 8 perches to the middle of said 
bridge.' 

"This report was confirmed by the court on the 18th 
of January, 1843. The line thus run, so far as it goes, 
varies materially from the line of 1799 before mentioned. 
The first division line of Swatara township may be found 
recorded in Ses. Doc, 1795, i8oi,page 272; the second 
in Road Doc. A, page 273. 

"HALIFAX TOWNSHIP, 1804. 

"At December Sessions, 1803, the court issued an order 
to certain commissioners to view and lay out a new town- 
ship out of parts of Upper and Middle Paxton town- 
ships, who reported the following boundaries of the new 
township, to wit: 

"'Beginning on the west side of the Susquehanna 
river, opposite the end of Peter's mountain; thence along 
the top of Peter's mountain to the Berks and Dauphin 
county line; thence along said line to Wiconisco moun- 
tain ; thence along the top of said mountain to the Sus- 
quehanna river and across said river, and thence to the 
place of beginning".' 

"This report was confirmed by the court at their 
March sessions, A. D. 1804, anc ^ ft was ordered that the 
new township be called Halifax. The mountain called 
'Wiconisco' in the above report is the same usually 
called Bern's mountain. 

"LYKENS TOWNSHIP, 1810. 

"Upon the petition of inhabitants of Upper Paxton 

township, asking for a division of said township, the 
court issued an order at their January Sessions, 18 10, to 
three commissioners to enquire into the propriety of 
granting said prayer, and to make a plot or draft of the 
township, &c. The commissioners reported in favor of 
a division of the township by the following line, to wit: 



74 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

"'Beginning at a pine tree in the Halifax township line, 
on the summit of Berry's mountain, at Peter Richard's 
Gap; thence north 10 degrees, east along and near a 
public road, which leads from Halifax to Sunsbury through 
Hain's Gap, 460 perches to a post on the north side of 
Wiconisco creek, near the said road; thence north 80 
perches to a pine; thence running along the public road 
aforesaid, north 5 degrees, west 470 perches to Buffing- 
ton's church, leaving the said church on the westward; 
thence a course north 10 decrees west, leaving the dwell- 
ing of John Hopple westward 11 50 perches to Mahan- 
tango creek,' &c, &c. 

"The report then follows the lines around the two di- 
visions of Upper Paxton as they were after taking off 
Halifax township (running the lines across the river.) 
It is therefore unnecessary to follow them further here, 
as the line given above shows the division of what was 
then Upper Paxton township. This report was con- 
firmed by the court on the 3d of September, 18 10, and it 
was ordered that the eastern division be called Lykens 
township. 

"LEBANON GOUNTY, 181 3. 

"By an act of Assembly, passed 16th February, 181 3, 
Lebanon county was erected out of parts of Dauphin 
and Lancaster counties — principally from the former — 
with the following boundaries to wit: 

"'Beginning at the southeast corner of Dauphin coun- 
ty, where it intersects the Berks county line, about four 
miles from Newmanstown; thence through Lancaster 
county to a sand stone house, formerly occupied by 

George Wigman, and including" the same, on the great 

1 1 • f 
road leading from Shafferstown to Elizabeth furnace ; 

thence to a house formerly occupied by one Shroyer, de- 
ceased, and including the same, on the great road lead- 
ing from Lebanon to Manheim; thence to Snyder's mill 
on Gonewago creek, excluding the same; thence north- 
erly to the house of one Henry, at the cross roads lead- 



Historical Sketch of 'Dauphin County. 75 

intr from Harrisbursf to Reading-, including the same; 
thence to Raccoon creek on the Blue or Kittatinny 
mountain; thence along the said mountain, on the top 
thereof, to the Berks county line; thence along said line 
to the place of beginning.' 

"By an act passed 21st February, 1814, three commis- 
sioners were appointed to run and mark the boundary 
lines between the counties of Lebanon and Lancaster 
and Lebanon and Dauphin. Their report is on file in 
the Quarter Sessions of Dauphin county; that part which 
relates to the line between Dauphin and Lebanon coun- 
ties, is as follows, to wit: 

'"Starting from Snyder's mill on the Conewago creek; 
thence north 14^ degrees, west seven miles and 132 
perches, to Andrew Henry's, including the same; thence 
north 15/4 degrees, west eight miles and 239 perches, to 
the source of Raccoon creek; thence on the same course 
32 perches to the summit of the first or Blue mountain; 
thence along the same north 64 degrees, east 13 miles 
and three-fourths of a mile to the Berks county line.' 

"On the 29th of March, 1821, another act of Assembly 
was passed, providing 

'"That so much of the townships of East Hanover and 
Bethel, in the county of Dauphin, as lies north of the 
Blue or Kittatinny mountain, shall be and compose a part 
of the county of Lebanon.' 

"And by a subsequent act commissioners were ap- 
pointed to run these extended lines; and as appears by 
their report — which is recorded in Dauphin county, in 
Road Docket A, page 7$ — that the southwestern line of 
Lebanon county was extended from the top of the first 
to the top of the fourth mountain, a distance of 4 miles 
and 192 perches; and from thence along the top of the 
fourth mountain to the Berks county line. These divi- 
sions took from the county of Dauphin the entire town- 
ships Heidleburg, Bethel, Lebanon, Annville, East Han- 
over and a large portion of Londonderry and a small 
strip of West Hanover, west of Raccoon creek; that is, 



76 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

supposing- all the territory between the first and fourth 
mountains, taken under the act of March, 1821, belonged 
to East Hanover and Bethel townships, and no part of it 
to Middle Paxton township. 

"SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP, 181 5. 

"An order was issued by the Court of Quarter Ses- 
sions on the 30th of January, 181 5, returnable on the 1st 
April succeeding, to three commissioners to enquire into 
the propriety of granting the prayer of inhabitants of 
Lower Paxton township, asking for a division of said 
township. The commissioners reported in favor of a di- 
vision, and that they had run the dividing line as follows, 
to wit:' 

"'Beginning at the top of the first bench of the moun- 
tain, north of the plantation of Andrew Stephens, at a 
hickory tree; thence south 17 degrees, east 1,856 perches 
to the intersection of the northern line of Swatara town- 
ship, near the head of Joshua Elder's mill dam; in the 
course of which division line we passed about 50 perches 
west of John Beck's, about 20 perches east of Andrew 
Stephen's, close to the west end of Miller's mill on Pax- 
ton creek, about 50 yards west of George Hain's, about 
half-way between Shupp'sand Parthemer's; thence about 
50 yards east of Daniel Feree's; thence about 50 perches 
west of Martin Mayer's, thence west of Christian Eby's 
about 40 yards; thence east of John Carson's, about 20 
perches to the intersection of Swatara line, about 60 
perches further on.' 

"This report was confirmed by the court on the 1st 
May, 181 5, and it was ordered that the western division 
be called Susquehanna township. For a subsequent al- 
teration of the south lines of this township see Swatara 
township — the mill dam there called Kimbortz, is the 
same which is called Elder's above. See Road Docket 
1809-15, page 431. The township of Susquehanna was 
and yet is bounded in part by the borough of Harrisburg, 
the limits of which were extended to the northwest by the 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 77 

act of 16th April, [838. In August, 1847, tnc court ap- 
pointed commissioners to ascertain the new line of this 
township, dividing it from the borough of Harrisburg, 
who reported the following - , to wit: 

"'Beginning at a point at the river Susquehanna near 
the house of George Hammond; thence a straight line 
north 64 degrees, east to a post at the Paxton creek, near 
a willow tree, 259 perches.' 

"This report was confirmed by the court on the 24th 
January, i 848. 

"MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP, 1819. 

"At a Court of Quarter Sessions, held the 2 2d day of 
October, 181 8, an order was issued to three commission- 
ers to inquire into the propriety of dividing the town- 
ships of Upper Paxton and Lykens, then embracing the 
whole of Lykens valley, into three townships, as had been 
petitioned for by the inhabitants of said valley. The 
commissioners reported that they were of opinion that 
the two aforesaid townships ought to be divided into 
three, and that they had accordingly run and marked the 
lines of division as follows, to wit: 

"'The First township beginning at Mahantango creek, 
a short distance below Miller's Fording, on the old Suns- 
bury road; thence down the same to the river, and across 
said river to the mouth of West Mahantango creek; 
thence down the western shore of Susquehanna to a 
point opposite to Berry's mountain; thence by Halifax 
township across said river, and along the summit of said 
mountain 5 miles, 200 perches to a chestnut oak tree; 
thence north 7^, west 6 miles 80 perches to the begin- 
ning, which we have called Upper Paxton township. The 
Second we have called Berry township, beginning at the 
chestnut oak aforesaid; thence by the summit of Berry's 
mountain aforesaid 4 miles 260 perches, to a small chest- 
nut oak; thence north 6, west 7 miles (through Hain's 
Gap,) to Mahantango creek aforesaid; thence down the 
same to the point aforesaid, near Miller's fording; thence 



78 Historical Sketch of Dauphin Comity. 

by the line of Upper Paxton aforesaid, (reversed,) south 
yyi degrees, east 6 miles 80 perches, to the beginning. 
The Third beeinnine at the same chestnut oak aforesaid ; 

• • r • 1 

thence along the summit of Berry's mountain aforesaid 
10 miles to the line of Schuylkill county; thence by same 
8% miles to Mahantango creek aforesaid; thence down 
the same to Berry township aforesaid; thence by the 
same south 6 degrees, east seven miles, to the begin- 
ning, 'and which we have called Lykens township." 

"This report was confirmed by the court, March 12, 

1 819, except so far as the new or centre division, which 
the court ordered to be called Mifflin township. See 
Ses. Doc. 1815-23, page 212. 

"RUSH TOWNSHIP, 1820. 

"On the 23d of October, 1819, the Court of Quar- 
ter Sessions issued an order to commissioners to 
enquire into the propriety of dividing the township of 
Middle Paxton, who reported in favor of a division and 
that they had run a dividing line as follows, to wit : 

"'Beginning on a stone heap on the second mountain, 
the summit of which separates West Hanover from Mid- 
dle Paxton township, at the distance 3^ miles from the 
northwest corner of West Hanover township, thence 
north 10 degrees west 3 miles 150 perches to a chestnut 
oak tree on the top of Peter's mountain and line of Hal- 
ifax township.' 

"This report was confirmed by the court March 14, 

1820, and it was ordered that the new township be called 
Rush township; for record see Ses. Doc. 1815-23, page 
282. The line above described continued to be the di- 
viding line between Rush and Middle Paxton townships 
from 1820 to 1832 ; previous to 22d of November, 1831, 
a petition had been presented to the court, praying for 
an alteration of the dividing line between those two 
townships, and on that day the court issued an order to 
commissioners to enquire into the propriety of granting 
the prayer of said petition, who made report in favor of 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 79 

altering- the line, and that they had run the line as fol- 
lows, to wit: 

"'Beginning at a chestnutoakon the top of Peters' moun- 
tain, the northwest corner of Rush township; thence a 
southwesterly course along the summit of said mountain, 
which separates Jackson and Halifax townships from 
Middle Paxton and Rush, 7 miles 25 perches to a marked 
hickory; thence passing- on the line between John Wil- 
liams and the widow Fortenback south 10 degrees east 
one mile and 185 perches to a chestnut oak on the sum- 
mit of the third mountain; thence a northeasterly course 
along the top of the said mountain 7 miles, intersecting 
the west line of Rush township.' 

"This report was confirmed by the court November 
19th, 1832. See Road Doc. A, page 74. 

"DERRY AND LONDONDERRY TOWNSHIPS 
AS RE-FORMED, 1826. 

"Between the year 181 3, when the erection of Leba- 
non county cut off a large portion of Londonderry town- 
ship, and the year 1825 some proceedings were had in 
the Quarter Sessions to remodel the townships of Der- 
ry and Londonderry, none of which however seem to 
have received the final sanction of the court. At No- 
vember Term, 1825, the court appointed three commis- 
sioners to enquire into the propriety of a division, who 
made report in favor of a division, by a line 

'"Beginning at a black oak tree on the eastern bank of 
the Swatara creek, at the mouth of Strickler's run ; thence 
a due east course 7 miles and 1 20 perches to the Leba- 
non county line, at the farm of Jacob Longnecker.' 

"The court confirmed this report on the; 21st of Janu- 
ary, 1826, and gave to the northern section the name of 
Derry and to the southern division the name of London- 
derry. See Road Docket A, page 1 3. 



So Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

"JACKSON TOWNSHIP, 1828. 

"On the 23d August, 1828, an order was issued by the 
Court of Quarter Sessions to three commissioners to 
view and report upon the propriety of dividing the town- 
ship of Halifax according to the prayer of inhabitants of 
the east end of said township, asking for a division, and 
that the new township might be called Jackson, pre- 
viously presented to said court. The commissioners re- 
ported, that in their opinions a division of said township 
was necessary and proper, and that they had run and 
marked a division line as follows, to wit : 

'"Beginning at a chestnut oak on the top of Peters' 
mountain, in Winn's Gap, on the line dividing Halifax 
and Middle Paxton townships; thence across Powell's 
and Armstrong's valleys, north 3*^ degrees, west 6 miles 
and 280 perches to a hickory on the line between Upper 
Paxton and Halifax townships, on Berry's mountain, at a 
small curve in said mountain about three-quarters of a 
mile west of Woodside's Gap.' 

"This report was confirmed by the court at November 
Sessions, 1828. See Road Docket A, page 3/ \ 

"LOWER SWATARA TOWNSHIP, 1840. 

By a resolution of the Legislature passed March 18, 
1840, Pain. Laws, page 710, it was provided that 

'"That part of Swatara township, in the county of Dau- 
phin south of straight lines forthwith to be run by the su- 
pervisor of said township, commencing at the west end of 
the bridge over Swatara creek at Nissley's mill, thence to 
the residence of Daniel Smith, thence to Christian Roop's, 
thence to Samuel Ncidig's, thence to the river Susque- 
hanna at the line dividing- the farms of Christian Mumma 
and John Heagy, and thence immediately by the lower 
end of Shreiner's island to the York county line shall 
hereafter form a separate election district, and township 
to be called Lower Swatara.' 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. Si 

"And by the _;th section of an act of Assembly passed 
on the 1 3th June. 1X40, it is further provided that 

'"That part of Lower Swatara township, in the county 
of Dauphin, north of straight lines to be run by the su- 
pervisors of the townships of Swatara and Lower Swa- 
tara, commencing at the residence of Daniel Smith, 
thence to Peter Roop's, thence to Christian Good's full- 
ing mill, and thence to the residence of Samuel Neidig, 
shall hereafter form part of Swatara township, &c, and 
that so much of the resolution passed 18 March, 1840, 
as is hereby altered is repealed.' 

"WISCONISCO TOWNSHIP, 1840. 

"The 90th section of an act of Assembly, passed July 
2d, 1839, Pam. Laws, page 602, provides 

" 'That that part of Lykens township, in the county of 
Dauphin, north of lines to be run by the supervisors of 
said township: 'commencing at a bridge crossing the 
head of the widow Snyder's mill dam at the Mifflin town- 
ship line, thence east to the hand board in the forks of 
road on the lands of Elder and Haldeman, thence a 
straight line to a house of Martin Rickert, now occupied 
by Peter Rickert, at the foot of the Short mountain, 
thence east along the foot of the mountain (north side) 
to the Schuylkill county line, shall hereafter form a sepa- 
rate township to be called Wisconisco.' 

"By the 54th section of an act, passed April 14, 1840, 
Pam. Laws, page 342, it is provided that the name of Pe- 
ter Rickert in the foregoing act shall be taken and con- 
strued to mean Henry Rickert, and that it shall be the 
duty of the supervisors to file the survey or plot of said. 
lines run, in the office of the Clerk of Quarter Sessions 
of the county of Dauphin. On the 26th June, 1840, the 
plot or dratt of the lines run was filed as above dire< t< d 
and are as follows, to wit : 

"'Beginning at a point on the Mifflin township line, 
thence north 6$]/ 2 degrees, east 296 perches to cross 
roads, thence due east 464 perches to a chestnut oak, 



82 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County, 

thence north 8$ degrees, east 52 perches to a chestnut 
oak, thence north yy degrees, east 30 perches to a chest- 
nut oak, thence north 53 degrees, east 120 perches to a 
black oak, thence north 60 degrees, east 79 perches to a 
chestnut, thence north 65 degrees, east 61 perches to a 
poplar, thence north 80 degrees, east 450 perches to a 
white pine, thence north 75 degrees, east 82 perches to 
a white pine, thence north 70 degrees, east 280 perches 
to a chestnut oak, thence north 67 degrees, east 186 
perches to a chestnut, thence north 64 degrees, east 300 
perches to a chestnut, thence north 67 degrees, east 310 
perches to a white oak at the Schuylkill county line, 
making in all 8 miles, 150 perches.' 

"SOUTH AND EAST HANOVER TOWNSHIPS 
OUT OF WEST HANOVER, 1842. 

"The 64th section of an act of Assembly passed March 
4th, 1842, provides that the township of West Hanover, 
in the county of Dauphin, shall, as then divided into 
three separate election districts, thereafter form three 
separate townships: the south district to be called 'South 
Hanover,' the east district to be called 'East Hanover,' 
and the west district 'West Hanover;' and that the then 
supervisors should file in the office of the Clerk of the 
Court of Quarter Sessions of Dauphin county, as the di- 
viding lines of said townships, the survey and draft 
thereto annexed, of the election lines run of said West 
Hanover township, pursuant to law, by M. Robeson on 
the 17th day of September, 1838. On the 14th March, 
1842, the survey and draft of M. Robeson was filed as 
above directed, and was recorded in Road Docket A, 
page 253, as follows, to wit: 

'"Beginning at the Swatara creek, half a mile south of 
the intersection of Bow run with said creek, at a chest- 
nut oak on the land of John Fox; thence through land of 
Conrad Waggoner, Philip Stine, Abraham Hoover, Ja- 
cob Leasure, and John B. Morehead, to the present resi- 
dence of J. B. Morehead, leaving the houses on all said 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 8 



o 



farms north, except Conrad Waggoner — whole distance, 
2 miles and 20 perches — course bearing south 82 de- 
grees west; thence from J. B. Morehead's through other 
land of said Morehead, Doc. William Simontort, Samuel 
M'Cord, William M'Cord, Jacob Keiffer, Samuel Shellert- 
berger, George Bashore, William Bomgardner and Chris- 
tian Walters, to Beaver creek, to a hickory, leaving- all 
the houses on said farms north, except J. B. Morehead's 
present residence, one of Doc. William Simonton's ten- 
ant houses, now occupied by John Fading; Samuel 
M'Cord's and William M'Cord's — these five are south — 
course bearing- the same, viz: south 82 degrees west, 
distance 2/ s ' miles. Then beginning at the house of J. 
B. Morehead, (present residence;) thence through land 
of said Morehead and near land of Daniel Keim, through 
land of Doc. William Simonton, Alexander M'Fadden, 
Daniel Keiffer, Samuel Zimmerman, John Snodgrass, Si- 
mon Stout, Samuel Fleming, Mary M'Creight, Joseph 
Shoop, Benjamin Snodgrass, Emanuel Cassel, junior, 
(near Daniel and William Gross,) Joseph Allen, William 
Crum, (near Daniel Aungst,) E. and C. B. Grubb, George 
Rhoads, John Rhoads and E. and C. B. Grubb, to the 
top of the second mountain — the present boundary of 
West Hanover township — leaving all the houses on said 
farms west, except Daniel Keim, Simon Stout, Benjamin 
Snodgrass, Daniel and William Gross, Emanuel Cassel, 
junior, Daniel Aungst, E. and C. B. Grubb, George 
Rhoads and John Rhoads; course bearing north 14^ 
degrees west, distance 8 miles.' 

-jefferson' township, [842. 

"In the year 1842, inhabitants of Jackson township pe- 
titioned the Court of Quarter Sessions, asking for a di- 
vision of said township: whereupon the said court, on the 
23d April, 1842, issued an order to three commissioners 
to enquire into the propriety of granting the said prayer, 
who made report, that they considered a division of the 
said township necessary, and had run a dividing line as 
follows, to wit: 



84 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

'"Beginning at a white oak on the summit of the divid- 
ing ridge, at the Halifax township line, and between the 
farms of Abraham Kinportz and Lewis Culp; thence 
north 66 degrees east 250 perches to a post; thence 
north 42 degrees east 50 perches to a post; thence north 
66 degrees east 340 perches to a post; thence north 71 
degrees east 160 perches to a post; thence north 66 de- 
grees east 80 perches to a post; thence north 69 degrees 
east 656 perches to a post; thence 18 degrees east 171 
perches to a post; thence north 55 degrees east 28 
perches to a post; thence north 39 degrees east 304 
perches to a post ; thence along Broad mountain north 
1 3 degrees east 140 perches to a post; thence north 7 de- 
grees west 520 perches to a pine in Deitrich's Gap, on 
the summit of Berry's mountain, being in length 8 miles 
and 140 perches.' 

"This report was confirmed by the court on the 24th 
of November, 1842. In the year 1844 the inhabitants of 
Jackson petitioned the court, complaining of part of the 
division line as made in 1842, and praying for an altera- 
tion. Whereupon the court appointed other commission- 
ers to view and report on the propriety of making such 
alteration. These commissioners reported in favor of 
alteration, and that they agreed upon and run the follow- 
ing line : 

"'Beginning at a pine on lands of John Shoop, senior, 
corner of former partition line between said Jackson and 
Jefferson townships; thence north 68 degrees east 13% 
miles to the Schuylkill county line.' 

"This report was confirmed by the court November 
23d, 1844. 

"WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, 1846. 

"Upon the petition of inhabitants of Mifflin township, 
asking for a division of that township, the court on the 
3d of September, 1845, issued an order to three commis- 
sioners to view and report on the propriety of granting 
the prayer of said petition ; who reported that in their 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County . ^^ 

opinions a division of said township was necessary, and 
that they had laid off the following portion of the same, 
to be called Washington, to wit : 

'"Beginning at a post on the line dividing said town- 
ship of Mifflin from Upper Paxton township, on the pro- 
perty belonging to Philip Lenker; thence a straight line 
bearing north 75^ degrees, east 1506 perches, or near 
4^ miles, to a post on the line dividing said township of 
Mifflin from Lykens township; thence by said line bearing 
south 7 degrees east and about 2^ miles, to the top of 
Berry's mountain ; thence along the north side of said 
mountain westward 4^ miles to a stone heap; thence 
along the Upper Paxton township line north 7 degrees 
west 2^4 miles to the place of beginning.' 

"This report was confirmed by the Court on the 23d 
day of January, 1846. 

REED TOWNSHIP, 1849. 

By an act of Assembly approved April 6, 1849, lt ls 
enacted that 

"That portion of the qualified voters of Penn election 
district, Dauphin county, that reside in Middle Paxton 
township, shall hereafter vote at the regular place of 
holding elections for said township, and the balance of 
of the voters of said Penn election district shall hold their 
election at the new school house on Duncan's island, and 
shall be erected into a separate township and school dis- 
trict, to be called Reed township," etc. 

The township is bounded on the north and northeast 
by Halifax township, on the west by the Juniata and Sus- 
quehanna rivers, and on the south and southeast by Mid- 
dle; Paxton township. 

CONEWAGO TOWNSHIP, 1850. 

This township was organized by an act of Assembly, 
approved April 2, 1850, which enacted 

"That from and after the passage of this act all that part 
of the townships of Derry and Londonderry lying within 
the following boundaries, to wit: 



86 Historical Sketch of Dauphin Coicnty. 

"Beofinninof a t the ConewaQfo creek, the line of the 
counties of Dauphin and Lancaster, at the place where 
Brill's run empties into said creek, and from thence by 
a straight line running- parallel with the line dividing the 
counties of Dauphin and Lebanon to a point that by run- 
ning a straight line from said point at a right angle with 
the aforesaid parallel said straight line will intersect the 
said line of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon at a 
point not more than one-half of a mile north of the Men- 
nonite meeting house, at or near said county line, and 
from thence along the line of the counties of Dauphin 
and Lebanon to the line of the county of Lancaster, and 
from thence down said line to place of beginning, shall 
hereafter form a separate election district and township, 
and shall be called Conewap"o," etc. 

WILLIAMS TOWNSHIP, 1869. 

Williams township was taken from Wiconisco town- 
township on the 7th of February, 1869, and the bounda- 
ry lines are as follows: 

"Beginning at a black oak on the Schuylkill county 
line east 46^ degrees, south 1,380 perches, thence south 
81 degrees, west 1,400 perches along the highlands of 
Berry's mountain, thence due north 490 perches, thence 
north 60 degrees, east 415 perches to the place of begin- 
nino-." 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. Sy 



THE PATRIOTISM OF OUR PEOPLE. 



The citizens of Dauphin county have always evinced 
a spirit of genuine patriotism, and have never been tardy 
in responding to the calls of our government for men and 
money in times of necessity. We have already alluded 
to the action of our people during the Revolutionary 
war. The same fervid patriotism animated the citizens 
of Dauphin county during the existence of the difficulties 
between the American government and the French Di- 
rectory in 1797. At least two military companies from 
this county offered their services on that occasion to the 
general government. 

During the "Whisky insurrection," in the western part 
of the State, an entire regiment was recruited in the 
county for service under the general government. 

In 181 2 thirteen full companies marched to the defence 
of Baltimore. 

A company composed of nearly one hundred mem- 
bers, styled the Cameron Guards, in honor of Gen. 
Simon. Cameron, were enrolled on the 20th of December, 
1 X46, who joined the army and participated in many of 
the hard-fought battles during the war with Mexico. 

During the great civil war, Harrisburg, as the capital 
of the State, was an important point in many respects. 
The first military camp in the United States, under the 
President's call, was located here, and named Camp Cur- 
tin, in honor of the then Chief Magistrate of the State. 
As such it became widely known. The first public meet- 
ing held after the firing upon Fort Sumter was held in 



88 Historical Sketch of Datiphin County. 

the court house, Gen. Simon Cameron presiding. The 
county of Dauphin quickly tendered men and money 
to the government, and in that bitter, deadly strife fur- 
nished its full quota of volunteers. Twice Harrisburg 
was the objective point of the Confederate troops; 
and at one time, June, 1863, the enemy's pickets were 
within two miles of the city. Active preparations were 
made for the defence of the capital of the State. The 
bluff of the river opposite the city was fortified and called 
Fort Washington; rifle pits were dug along the river to 
command the fording place in front of Harris Park, and 
every preparation made to give the enemy a warm re- 
ception. Fortunately the victory of the Union army at 
Gettysburg checked the further advance of the Confed- 
erates, and with it their last attempt to invade the North. 

After the battles of Antietem and Gettysburg, many 
wounded soldiers of both armies were brought to Harris- 
burg, and school houses and church buildings were trans- 
formed into temporary hospitals. The charity of the cit- 
izens of Harrisburg, and of the entire county, in these 
trying hours was unbounded. A Soldier's Rest was erect- 
ed near the railroad depots, by several prominent gentle- 
men, where the maimed and sick soldier on his way 
homeward found refreshments always ready. Thou- 
sands in this way were kindly ministered to. 

Dauphin county lost about six hundred of her citizen 
soldiers; in every cemetery and graveyard within its 
limits lie their honored remains, while in the cemetery at 
Harrisburg the grass grows green alike over the graves 
of Union and of Confederate soldiers from far-off States. 
In all the struggles for liberty, for right, and for the in- 
tegrity of the Union, Dauphin county has been in the van. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 89 



RELIGIOUS PROGRESS IN THE COUNTY. 

It is scarcely within our province to become the eccle- 
siastical historian of the count)'; and yet the true charac- 
ter and condition of a people cannot well be understood 
without some study of their religious state. 

Religious tolerance was almost paramount to all other 
aims and objects held in view by the early settlers of 
Dauphin county. Lutherans, Scotch-Irish, Quakers, Hu- 
guenots, etc., mingled together, and worshiped God 
as the common Father of all. The concrreeations were 
insulated, and shut out from the disturbing controversies 
which agitated some other portions of the colony. The 
pastors had sought the retired parishes here in the 
hills and valleys, without much pride of learning and 
without ambitious views. Their influence was paternal; 
the eloquence of their example was more potent than the 
eloquence of the pulpit. There was no affectation of se- 
riousness in the assembly of parishioners — no mannerism 
of worship. The thought of nothing in fact, save what met 
their intelligence, and entered into them by that method. 
They were like men who had a digestion for strong meat, 
and had no conception that trifles more delicate could be 
of account as religious food. Nothing was dull that 
had matter in it — nothing long that had not exhausted 
the matter. True, there was a rigor in their piety, a 
want, perhaps, of gentle feeling; their Christian graces 
were of a cast-iron nature, answering with a hard, 
metallic ring. But they stood the rough wear of frontier 
life none the less durably, for the excessive hardness of 
their temperament, kept their families, and communed 



go Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

none the less truly, though it may be less benignly, under 
the sense of deep religious feeling. If we at this day find 
something to modify, or soften, in their over-rigid notions 
of Christian living, it is yet something to know that what we 
are they have made us, and that when we have done better 
for the ages that come after us, we shall have a more cer- 
tain right to blame their austerities. View them as we 
may, there is yet, and always will be, something magnifi- 
cent in their stern, practical fidelity to their principles. 
We confess that we recall the honest, faithful days of the 
early settlers — days when men's lives went by their con- 
sciences as their clocks did by the sun — with a feeling of 
profound reverence. It is more than respectable — it is 
sublime. If we find a more liberal way, and think we are 
safe in it, or if we are actually so, we can never yet break 
loose from a willing respect to their inflexible, majestic, 
paternity of truth and godliness. 

To avoid a needless repetition we refer the reader to 
a brief history of the rise and progress of the several re- 
ligious denominations in the county, from the pen of 
Rev. Thomas H. Robinson, D. D., which will be found in 
the Appendix to this review. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. g i 



EDUCATION. 



The early settlers of Dauphin county were not un- 
mindful of the advantages of education, and a number of 
schools were established for the benefit of their children. 
The schoolmaster in those days did not exactly go about 
fit out the children's minds with learning as the shoe- 
maker often did to fit their feet with shoes, or the tailors 
to measure and cut for their bodies; but to come as near 
it as possible, he very often boarded round, and the wood 
for the common fire was supplied in a way equally primi- 
tive, viz: by a contribution of loads from the several fam- 
ilies, according to their several quantities of childhood. 
The children were all clothed alike in homespun; and the 
only signs of aristocracy were, that some were clean and 
some a degree less so, some in fine white and striped 
linen and some in brown tow crash. The good fathers 
of some testified the opinion they had of their children by 
bringing fine round loads of hickory wood to warm them, 
while some others brought only scanty, scraggy, ill-look- 
ing heaps of green oak, white birch or hemlock. Indeed, 
about all the inequality among the children centered 
in the quality of the wood-pile. There was no com- 
plaint in those days of the want of ventilation ; for the 
large, open fire-place held a considerable fraction of a 
cord of wood, and the windows took in just enough of air 
to supply the combustion. Beside, the larger lads were 
occasionally ventilated, by being sent out to cut wood 
enough to keep the fire in action. The seats were made 
of the outer slabs from the saw mill, supported by slant 



92 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

legs driven into and a proper distance through auger 
holes, and planed smooth on the top by the rather tardy 
process of friction. But the spelling went on bravely, 
and the lads ciphered again and again, always till they 
got through Loss and Gain. The more advanced of the 
scholars, too, made light work of Lindley Murray, and 
went on to the parsing, finally of extracts from Shakes- 
peare .and Milton, till some of them began to think they 
had mastered their tough sentences, in a more conse- 
quential sense of the term than was exactly true. 

As early as i 786, just one year after the erection of the 
county — the inhabitants of Harrisburg, in order to assist 
in bringing into effect the intentions of John Harris, 
who had granted the rents, issues and profits of his ferry 
across the river for the endowment of an English and 
German academy in that town, entered into the following 
agreement: 

We, the subscribers, do each of us for ourselves 
promise to pay, or cause to be paid, to John Hoge, Mo- 
ses Gilmor, Conrad Bombaugh and John Brooks, or 
their order upon demand, the sums annexed to each of 
our names respectively, to be applied by them in pur- 
chasing materials for and in building a school house in 
one corner of the public ground in the town of Harris- 
burg. 

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands, 
with the sums annexed, this 20th clay of April, 1786: 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin Comity. 



93 



John Harris 5 

William Speigel 1 

I reorge Fridley 1 

George Le Ru 

Thomas Kelso, (a quantity of 

limestone) 

Michael Kapp 

George Hoyer 

Christian Kunkle 

Clunie & Kean 1 

Adam Kuertzer 

John A. Hanna 

Thomas Forster 

.Jonathan Hudson 

Stephen Stevenson 

Jacob Weaver 

John Rietsworth 

Alexander BaiT 

.James Duncan 

Samuel Grimes 

Jacob Zollinger 

Mathew Adams 

George Allen 

Robert Stevenson 

Alex, and William Power. . .1 

John Boyd 

Alex. Porter 

Robert Ramsey 

John llui'sha 

I reorge Devebaugh 

Joseph Lytle 

George Reddick 

Richard Dixon 

James .M'Xamara 

Edward Burke 

Peter Graybill 

Buckler I. Smith 

David M'Mullen 

Levi llollingswortli 

Adam Hocker 1 

John Hocker 

Malcolm Boyce 

Dennis Sweeney 

Note. — The names 



s. 


1. 


5 





10 





10 





rv 
i 


(•> 


10 





7 


G 


7 





10 





10 





10 


10 


10 





10 





15 





15 





10 





7 


6 


15 





15 





5 





7 


6 


7 


G 


7 


G 


2 


6 


7 


6 


15 





10 





15 





5 





8 


4 


15 





5 





15 





8 


4 


7 


6 


7 


(1 


2 


6 


15 





15 





7 


G 



s. 


tl. 


8 


4 


rv 
i 


G 


5 





i 


G 


8 


4 


18 


4 


7 





10 





00 





00 





10 





2 


9 


2 


G 


8 


4 


7 


G 


10 





2 


G 


i 


G 


8 


4 


7 


G 



William Brown 

Andrew Stewart 

Ephraim Hunter 

Francis Le Ru 

Richard King 

Andrew Coulter 

.James Stewart 

Alex. Graydon 1 

Joseph Montgomery 3 

David Jordan 1 

John Hamilton 1 

John .Joseph Henry 1 

Faughney C. Farrel 1 

William Maclay 

William M'Croskey 

Samuel Berryhill 

Francis Furguson 

J ohn Norton 1 

John M'Gafog 

Alex. Berryhill 

Win. Diven 

Aaron Wright 

Noah Chamberlin 

George Hoak 

Stewart Williams. , 

John M'Chesney 

William Murray 

John Davis 

Adam Boyd 1 

John Galbraith 

Jacob Geiger 

Henry Fulton 

Andrew Armstrong 

William Philips 

John Eppert 

Henry Wingert 

J< ihn Hoge 1 

Moses Gilmor 1 

David Ritchie 

Walter Clark 

William Glass 

James Sayers 



to which no sums are attached 



HI 





10 





11 


3 


10 





7 


6 


7 





00 





Hi 






paid 



either in material or labor. 
The following additional subscribers are recorded 
i 79 1, five years after the first subscription: 



m 



John Luther 7 

Anthony Sayfort 7 

•John Dentzel 7 

David Harris 10 

Stacy Potts 7 

Geo. Fisher 7 

Wm. Graydon 7 

13 



d. 






£ 


s. d. 
7 G 


G 


J )avid \ < "'elsong 




7 <i 


(» 


1 (i ibeii 1 >arr 




7 6 


ii 






7 i'» 


r. 






7 (i 


(> 






7 C 


(i 









94 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

The first trustees of the academy were John A. Hanna, 
John Hamilton and John Kean. The trustees for 1791 
were John A. Hanna, John Kean, John Dentzel, Stacy 
Potts and Adam Boyd. The following- is the preamble 
of the constitution adopted by the subscribers to the 
academy fund: 

"Whereas, The prosperity and happiness of the free 
and independent citizens of the United States in a great 
measure depends on the proper cultivation and improve- 
ment of the minds of the young and rising generations, 
whereby they may be qualified to perform their respective 
duties in civil society as well as the more important obli- 
gations of religion: wherefore, we, the citizens of Harris- 
burg, in the State of Pennsylvania, in order to establish a 
seminary of useful learning have by voluntary contribu- 
tions built a school house, hoping through the favor of 
Divine Providence, with the benevolent aid of the hon- 
orable Leeislature of this Commonwealth, and the charita- 
ble donations of the well disposed, together with the dili- 
gent care and attention of the o-overnors and teachers, it 
may become a respectable institution, renowned for the 
pious education of future generations; for which purpose 
we do ordain and establish the following rules for the 
constitution and o-overnment thereof." 

o 

Section 8 of the rules directed that the teachers shall 
from time to time be obliged to teach such number of 
charity scholars as shall be recommended by the trustees 
(not exceeding four) gratis, which the trustees and 
teachers shall keep secret. 

October 4, 1 791 . — Samuel Barnes Davis was appointed 
teacher of the academy for three months; and at a meet- 
ing of the trustees on January 3, 1 792, it was resolved "that 
Mr. Davis, the teacher, shall submit for the approbation 
of the trustees copies of all such extracts or speeches as 
he intends the children under his care shall speak or de- 
liver at public exhibition." 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 95 

October 22, 1 795. — Mr. William Moderwell was appoint- 
ed teacher of the Latin and Greek department of the acad- 
emy, to commence this day. 

November 21,1 795. — The trustees determined that the 
following- books should be taught in the Latin and Greek 
department in the order in which they succeed each other: 

Latin — Grammar, Vocabulary, Corderii, &c, Fables- 
Erasmus Delectas, e Veteri, Selectae e Profanis. Greek — 
Greek Grammar, Testament, Lucian, Xenophen, Homer, 
Caesar's Commentaries, Ovid, Virgil, Sallust, Horace, 
Cicero. 

The early minutes of the academy, the original of 
which are in the possession of A. Boyd Hamilton, Esq., 
of Harrisburg, to whom we are indebted for the privilege 
of making our extracts, show that like all new and de- 
serving enterprises the institution had its trials and diffi- 
culties, but by persevering energy these were finally 
overcome, and the academy to-day ranks as one of the 
best select educational establishments in the State. 

From the adoption of the State Constitution of 1 790 until 
1809, no legislative provision of a general nature was 
made in reference to public schools. An act was then 
passed "for the gratuitous education of the poor." It re- 
quired a report to be made by the assessors of the town- 
ships, wards and boroughs to the commissioners of the 
respective counties, of all children between the age of five 
and twelve years whose parents were unable to provide 
for their education: and that when the lists had been ap- 
proved by the commissioners, that such parents should 
be notified thereof, and be permitted to send their chil- 
dren to the most convenient schools at the expense of the 
county. Notwithstanding the: many defects of this law, 
it continued in force until it was repealed by that of 29th 



g6 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

March, 1824, which provided that every township should 
elect three "schoolmen" who should superintend the edu- 
cation of poor children within their respective townships, 
and "cause them to be instructed as other children are 
treated, the expense of tuition to be paid by the county." 
But each county might authorize the "schoolmen" to di- 
vide the township into school districts, and to establish 
schools at the expense of the township, to which all chil- 
dren belonging to the districts might be sent for three 
years, at any time between the ages of six and fourteen 
years. This law was applicable to the whole State, with 
the exception of certain school districts in the city and 
county of Philadelphia and city of Lancaster. It was re- 
pealed in 1826 and the act of 1809 revived. 

Beside the general provisions for education throughout 
the State there were special ones enacted for certain lo- 
calities. Thus in 1818 the city and county of Philadel- 
phia were erected into a district, called the "First school 
district of Pennsylvania." By the act of April 1, 1822, 
the city and county of Lancaster were erected into the 
"Second school district," with privileges and duties simi- 
lar to the first. By the act of 1 ith April, 1827, the same 
system was established at Harrisburg, and by act of 19th 
February, 1828, at Pittsburg. 

The act establishing a public school in Harrisburg, 
authorized the commissioners of Dauphin county to make 
use of any part of the court house of said county which 
may be unoccupied, build, or procure a suitable building 
for the purpose of educating the children directed to be 
taught at the public expense; to engage a suitable 
teacher or teachers; and they were required to direct 
that all children educated at the public expense, who 
shall reside in the borough of Harrisburg, or within one 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 97 

mile thereof, should attend the school, which was to be taught 
and conducted on the principle of Lancaster's system of 
education, in its most approved state. The commission- 
ers were further empowered to admit children whose pa- 
rents or guardians were in circumstances to pay for their 
tuition, and were at liberty to charge in each individual 
case any sum which may be agreed upon between the 
parties, which should be applied in all cases to the sup- 
port of the school. 

Under the provisions of the act of April 11, 1827, the 
commissioners of the county established a school on Lan- 
caster's plan in Harrisburg in the latter part of that year, 
and erected the building now owned by the school board, 
on Walnut street, opposite Short, in the city of Harris- 
burg, for its accommodation. The school, however, does 
not seem to have been a success, as it was abolished by 
the act of 20th of May, 1834. 

The present Common School system was established 
December 5, 1835, anc ^ from the report of the State 
School Superintendent for the year ending December 31, 
1837, tne following statistics show the progress of the 
system in the county, in two years' time: 

Number of schools, 48 ; number of teachers, males, 45, 
females, 13; number of scholars, males, 1,541, females, 
1,320; number of months kept open, 4 months and 20 
days; moneys received: State appropriation, $2,037 34' 
from the county, $1 ,430 17, from the districts, $4,731 89; 
average salary of teachers, males, $20 80^ , females, 
$19 16; cost of school house repairs, $1,575 2 9! other 
expenses, $530 53. 

Small as are these figures, the result at the time was 
considered very favorable, and exceeded many counties 
with a much larger population than Dauphin. But it is 



98 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

only when we compare the report of 1837 with the report 
of 1875 that the progress of education in Dauphin 
county is brought out in all its grand proportions. 

According to the report of the Superintendent of Com- 
mon Schools for 1875, the whole number of schools in the 
county was 266*^; average number of months taught, 
6.59; number of teachers, males, 130, females, 102; aver- 
age salaries, males per month, $40 42, females, $35 40; 
number of scholars, males, 5,51 1, females, 5,025 ; average 
number attending school, 7,299; total amount of tax 
levied for school and building purposes, $84,254 22; re- 
ceipts: from State appropriation, $8,522 ; taxes and other 
sources, $111,504 28; total receipts, $120,026 36; ex- 
penditures, cost of school houses, building, repairing, etc., 
$32,521 oS; teachers' wages, $58,333 71; fuel, etc., $17,- 
447 15- 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 99 



ROADS AND TRANSPORTATION. 



The primitive roads in the territory now forming the 
county were Indian trails, or paths, which the white 
traders followed with their pack-horses; these in time be- 
came the regular thoroughfares of the early settlers. The 
trails traversed the county eastward to Tulpohocken, 
thence to Easton; westward to Carlisle, Forts Louden 
(Bedford) and Fort Pitt (Pittsburg;) northward along 
the valley of the Susquehanna into New York State, and 
southward along the river into Maryland, beside short 
and rough ways for neighborhood use. 

Seventy-five or eighty years ago it was not an uncom- 
mon sight to see as many as five hundred pack horses 
passing the ferry here westward, loaded with merchan- 
dise, salt, iron, etc. The iron was carried on horse- 
back, being crooked over and around their bodies; bar- 
rels or kegs were hung on each side of these. 

The pack horses were generally led in divisions of 
twelve or fifteen horses, carrying about two hundred 
weight each, going single file, and managed by two 
men, one going before as the leader, and the other in 
the rear, to see after the safety of the packs. Where 
the bridle road passed along declivities or over hills, the 
path was in some places washed out so deep that the 
packs or burdens came in contact with the ground or 
other impeding obstacles, and were frequently displaced. 
However, as the carriers usually traveled in companies, the 
packs were soon adjusted, and no great delay occasioned. 

The pack horses were generally furnished with bells, 
which were kept from ringing during the day drive, but 



ioo Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

were loose at night, when the horses were set free and 
permitted to feed and brouse. The bells were intended 
as guides to direct to .their whereabouts in the morning. 
When the wagons were first introduced, the carriers con- 
sidered that mode of transportation an invasion of their 
rights. Their indignation was more excited, and they 
manifested greater rancor, than did the regular teamsters 
when the line of packets or railroad cars came into use 
about forty years afterwards. 

As the settlements increased in the interior of the col- 
ony, the Susquehanna river became an important avenue 
of transportation, at first by means of canoes, then by 
keel-bottomed boats, or "broad-horns," as they were often 
called. Grains and other produce were the chief articles 
carried in those conveyances. Harris Ferry and Middle- 
town were noted marts for the storage and sale of grain 
at this period. In 1790 there were over 1 50,000 bushels 
of wheat brought down the Susquehanna, and passed 
through Middletown, for the Philadelphia market. 

About the year 1794 or '95 the first vessel in the shape 
of an ark, but of small dimensions, arrived at Harrisburg 
from Huntingdon on the Juniata. It passed the Cone- 
wago Falls in safety. About the same time that arks 
were introduced, the Conewago canal at York Haven, was 
commenced, and on its completion in 1797 or 1798 keel- 
bottom boats were passed through, which caused a great 
portion of the trade in grain to be diverted from Harris- 
burg and Middletown to Columbia. But in a few years 
afterwards boats ventured beyond the Conewago falls 
and thus reached tide-water, when the grain trade was 
measureably diverted from both Middletown and Colum- 
bia, concentrating at Port Deposit. 

Upon the discovery of anthracite coal in the Wilkes- 
barre region, nearly the entire product of the mines was 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. ioi 

shipped to eastern and southern markets in arks, by the 
Susquehanna river. The first anthracite coal ever con- 
sumed in Harrisburg was brought on an ark from Wilkes- 
barre, in 1812, and we may remark, en passant, that the 
cargo was at the time considered more than sufficient to 
supply the town for a year. 

It was, however, the article of lumber that proved the 
greatest bulk of the tonnage carried down the Susque- 
hanna. This trade commenced shortly after the Revolu- 
tion and continued to increase rapidly up to the com- 
pletion of the canal and railroad system of the State; 
although a very large proportion still continues to descend 
the stream annually. 

The earliest official records of roads established by the 
authorities in this region are the following: 

On November 4, 1735, the court of Lancaster county 
appointed Randle Chambers, Jacob Peat, James Silvers, 
Thomas Eastland, John Lawrence and Abraham Endless 
to lay out a road from Harris Ferry (Harrisburg) to Balti- 
more. These gentlemen made report Febuary 3, 1736, 
of their view of the road, which 'they said was "opposed by 
a considerable number of inhabitants on the west side of 
the Susquehanna in those parts," and praying for a review. 
The court then ordered that William Rennick, Richard 
Hough, James Armstrong, Thos. Mayes, Samuel Mont- 
gomery and Benj. Chambers view the road, and make 
such alterations in it as to them may seem necessary for 
the public good, and report their proceedings to next 
court. In May following they made a report stating that 
they had reviewed the easternmost part of the said road, 
and find it very crooked and hurtful to the inhabitants, 
<S:c., and therefore have altered the said road and marked 

14 



102 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

it in the manner following, (they then add the route.) 
The report was confirmed. 

At a session of the Provincial Council, held in Philadel- 
phia in January, 1735-36,011 the petition of sundry inhab- 
itants of Chester and Lancaster counties, setting forth 
"the want of a high road in the remote parts of the said 
counties where the petitioners are seated, and that a very 
commodious one may be laid out from the tavern of John 
Harris, on Susquehanna, to fall in with the high road 
leading from Lancaster town, at or near the plantation of 
Edward Kennison, in the great valley in the county of 
Chester;" it was ordered that viewers be appointed who 
shall make a return of the same, together with a draught 
of the said road. Subsequently done and the highway 
opened to the Susquehanna. 

The following roads were laid out and confirmed by the 
court during the first year of Dauphin county: 

Harrisburg to Middletown, (called upper road,) No- 
vember Sessions, 1785. 

From Francis Wenrich's to the great road leading 
from Harrisburg to Hummelstown, August Sessions, 

1785. 

The road from Harrisburg to Jonestown was confirmed 
at August Sessions, 1787. 

The age of turnpike roads commenced about the year 
1800, and no portion of the country was more improved 
by them than Dauphin county. They changed the aspect 
of the country, and its current of business, and if they 
were not generally profitable to the stockholders, they 
have been invaluable to the people. 

The following list, showing the length, cost per mile, and 
total cost of the several turnpikes running through the 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 103 

c unity is compiled from the report of a legislative com- 
mittee made in 1822. 

[803. — Downingtown, Ephrata and Harrisburg, 68 

miles; individual subscriptions, $1 16,500; State subscrip- 
tions, $6,000; cost per mile, $3,750; original price of 
share, $100; finished in 1819. 

1805. — Lancaster, Klizabcth and Middle-town, 26 miles; 
individual subscriptions, $67,400; State subscription- 
$10,000; cost per mile, $4,506; original price of share. 
$ 1 < )0. 

1 81 5. — Middletown and Harrisburg, 9 miles; indi- 
vidual subscription, $21,000; State subscription, $14,- 
oco; cost per mile, $5,000; original price of share, $50. 

181 6. — Harrisburg, Carlisle and Chambersburg, 41 
miles; original price of share, $50. 

181 6. — Harrisburg and Millerstown, contemplated 
length, 26 miles; individual subscription, $25,000; State 
subscription, $4,000. 

1 81 6. — Berks and Dauphin, 34 miles completed; indi- 
vidual subscription, $63,905 ; State subscription, $29,000; 
cost per mile, $3,800 ; original price of share, $50. 

We add a list of turnpike companies that were incorpo- 
rated and went into operation subsequent to 1822 ; they 
are taken from the same report. 

March 27, 1827. — York Haven and Harrisburg Bridge. 

February 16, 1828. — Peter's Mountain. 

April 5, 1830. — Dauphin and Sunbury. 

April 5, 1830. — Marietta, Bainbridge, Falmouth and 
Portsmouth. 

March 13. 1831. — Hummelstown, Middletown and 
Portsmouth. 

March 25, 1832. — Berry's Mountain. 



io4 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

The opening- of turnpike roads originated new methods 
of conveyances, the most important of which were what 
are still locally termed "Conestoga wagons" — immense 
four-wheeled vehicles arched over with sail cloth cover- 
ings, and drawn by six powerful horses, each provided 
with a row of small bells, adjusted above the hame-heads 
of their harness. These in time monopolized the entire 
carrying trade between the city and country merchants; 
and beside the professional teamsters, nearly every well- 
to-do farmer in the country was more or less engaged in 
the business, the latter, however, generally carrying their 
own produce to the cities, and returned ladened with 
goods for the country merchant. 

With the advent of turnpike roads also came improved 
facilities for passenger travel in the shape of stages or 
Troy coaches. 

Matthias Slough and William Geer were each proprie- 
tors of a line of stages runnino- between Lancaster, Har- 
risburg, Carlisle and Shippensburg, in the year 1797. 
They had formerly been in partnership. The stages of 
the former gentlemen "set out from the house of Capt. 
Andrew Lee, in Harrisburg," now the site of the Jones 
House. The fare on this line was from Harrisburg to 
Lancaster $2, from Lancaster to Carlisle $3, and from 
Lancaster to Shippensburg $4. 

The stages of Mr. Geer "set out from the house of 
Wm. Feree in Lancaster, on every Tuesday and Satur- 
day mornings at 6 o'clock, proceeding to the westward, 
and from the house of Mr. Samuel Elder, northwest 
corner of Market and Front streets, in Harrisburg, 
every Wednesday morning, arriving at Shippensburg on 
the same evening. This line connected with stages, 
which started from the White Horse tavern, in Market 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. n>5 

street, Philadelphia, every Monday and Friday. The 
same proprietor also ran a stage from Harrisburg every 
Wednesday, which arrived at Sunbury every Thursday, 
and returned every Saturday, "so that passengers from 
Sunbury destined for Lancaster and Philadelphia could 
proceed thence on Mondays." 

Mr. William Coleman was the proprietor of a line of 
stages that started every Monday morning at 4 o'clock 
from the public house of Mr. George Zeigler, southwest 
corner Market Square, in Harrisburg, and arrived at 
Philadelphia by way of Reading, every Wednesday at 
noon. 

In 181 3 Mr. Nicholas Schwoyer ran a light stage twice 
a week from Harrisburo- to the Conewa°fo, where it was 
met by a line established by Mr. Jesse Shaeffer, which 
run to York. This stage left the Fountain Inn at Har- 
risburg every Tuesday and Thursday mornings. 

These vehicles, though decided improvements over the 
previous mode of passenger conveyances, in time became 
to be regarded as too slow for the wants of the people, 
and the fast coach system was introduced. The vehicles 
were larger, the horses were more numerous and of bet- 
ter quality, and the relays were shortened. Wm. Calder, 
the father of the present William Calder, Esq., of Har- 
risburg, may be regarded as the progenitor of this sys- 
tem. He, in connection with several other wealthy gen- 
tlemen, not only established the first of these fast stage 
lines, but in time became the owner of all the lines run- 
ning out of Harrisburg. The; extent of this interest, as 
well as the inlluence it had on the trade of the country, 
may be estimated, when we state that in the palmiest 
days of the business no less than fifteen stages left this 
town daily. Three of these ran to Lancaster; two to 



106 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Reading; one on the Horse-shoe road to Philadelphia; 
two to Pittsburg via Chambersburg, and two to the same 
city on the northern route; one to Columbia; one to 
York; one to Northumberland; one to Pottsville and 
one to Gettysburg. 

The opening of the Pennsylvania canal in 1831 brought 
additional prosperity to the county, by opening up new 
and cheaper transportation for freight and passengers. 
D. Leech & Co. were the first to run a line of packets on 
this new thorouo-hfare. Their boats carried freight as 
well as passengers, and run from Pittsburg to Middle- 
town. The Pennsylvania canal at that time being fin- 
ished only to the latter point. Here they connected 
with and took up the freight and passengers brought 
from Philadelphia by the Union canal. When the Penn- 
sylvania canal was completed to Columbia, Messrs. 
Leech & Co. extended their line to that point, where it 
connected with the State railroad. 

Two years afterwards Messrs. Wm. Calder, Sr., J. K. 
Moorehead, Silas Moore and Isaac Peters started the 
"Pioneer" line of packets, carrying passengers only. 
They were followed shortly after by Messrs. Slaymaker, 
Carson and others, who started the ''Good Intent" line 
of packets. This latter line, however, lived only a short 
time, when they were bought out by the Pioneer and 
Leech lines. During the winter the "Pioneer" line ran 
stages. 

In addition to these Messrs. Calder, Kapp and S. H. 
Lloyd ran lines of packets up the Susquehanna and North 
and West Branches. 

« 

Upon the completion of the Harrisburg, Mount Joy and 
Lancaster railroad in 1836, the passenger packets south 
and east of Harrisburg were withdrawn, and this town 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 107 

thereafter became the eastern terminus of passenger- 
travel to Pittsburg which it retained up to the completion 
of the Pennsylvania railroad to that city. The lines on 
the North and West Branch and Susquehanna divisions 
of the Pennsylvania canal continued several years longer, 
when they were finally abandoned by the completion of 
railroads in their respective sections. 

From these early beginnings, the transportation facili- 
ties have continued to increase hand over hand, until 
Harrisburg has become the dominating and absorbing 
centre of a distinct and independent system of railways, 
radiating from it through every part of the United States, 
like the spokes of a vast wheel. 

The Northern Central railroad starts at Baltimore and 
passes through York to Harrisburg, thence it runs north 
through Millersburg, Sunbury, Northumberland, Wil- 
liamsport, and on to Syracuse, Schenectady, Buffalo, and 
also to New York city. 

The Pennsylvania railroad starts from Philadelphia, 
and passes through Coatesville, Lancaster city, Columbia, 
Middletown, to Harrisburg, thence goes west through 
Duncannon, Newport, Lewistown, Huntingdon, Altoona, 
Johnstown, Greensburg to Pittsburg, and from thence 
by trunk lines to every part of the great west. 

The Cumberland Valley railroad starts at Harrisburg, 
and passes through Carlisle, Chambersburg,Shippensburg 
and Hagerstown to the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, 
and thence distributes its freight and passengers through- 
out the Shenandoah valley and the southern States. 

The Philadelphia and Reading railroad starts from 
Harrisburg and passes through Lebanon, Reading, and 
by its various branches, through Easton, Allentown and 
a scon- more ol large towns to Philadelphia and New 
York. 



108 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

The Dauphin, Schuylkill and Susquehanna railroad 
starts at Harrisburg- thence to Pottsville, passing through 
Dauphin and intermediate towns of the coal region, and 
from Pottsville distributes its freight throughout the whole 
of that coal and iron region. 

The South Mountain railroad, after traversing the 
newly developed ore regions of York and Cumberland 
counties, has its terminus at Harrisburg. 

The new railroad in course of construction from Ham- 
burg, Berks county, to Rockville, a few miles north of 
Harrisburg, will connect with the Lebanon Valley rail- 
road, and carry freight and passengers to Boston, with- 
out touching either Philadelphia or New York, thus short- 
ening the present route eighty miles. 

Thus it will be seen that the Pennsylvania railroad 
passes through Harrisburg from east to west, and the 
Northern Central, from north to south, while the Cum- 
berland Valley goes south, but in a divergent line from 
the Northern Central road, while the Dauphin, Schuyl- 
kill and Susquehanna line, although running along the 
Pennsylvania railroad track to Dauphin, there diverges, 
and runs up into the anthracite coal region, as previously 
stated. In addition to these roads, the Harrisburg and 
Potomac railroad will cross the river near the Pennsylva- 
nia steel works, and enter the city from that direction. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 109 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND PROGRESS 

OF THE COUNTY SINCE ITS ORGANIZATION. 



The county is bounded on the north by Northumber- 
land and part of Schuylkill counties; on the east by Le- 
banon and Lancaster counties; on the west and south by 
the Susquehanna river. Its length is ^ miles, breadth 
16, and its area 533 miles. The population in 1790, was 
18,177; in 1800, 22,270; in 1810, 31,883; in 1820 (part 
of Lebanon off), 21,653; in 1840, 30,118; in' 1850, 
35,754; in i860, 46,756; in 1870, 60,740. 

That part of the county below the Kittatinny valley con- 
sists of undulating slate and limestone lands, beautiful, 
fertile, and highly cultivated. The other part of the 
county is very mountainous, but contains a number of 
narrow and pleasant red shale valleys, and several fertile 
fiats along the Susquehanna. The mountainous region 
abounds with anthracite coal, especially Lykens and Wil- 
liams valleys, at the southwestern termination of the great 
western coal field of Pottsville and Mauch Chunk. This 
coal field in the vicinity of Pinegrove divides into branches 
— the northern one under the name of Wiconisco moun- 
tain, extending westward several miles beyond the county 
line of Schuylkill and Dauphin counties to Lykens Valley 
— and the other embraced between the Stony mountain 
and a continuation of Sharp mountain, reaching nearly 
to the Susquehanna river. Commencing with the Kitta- 
tinny mountain, and traversing the county in a north- 
western direction, the principal ranges crossed are the 
Second and Third, Peter's, Berry's and Mahantango 

15 



1 10 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

mountains. Between Peter's and Berry's are Short 
mountain and several minor ridges and broken spurs; 
and several of a similar character between Berry's and 
the Mahantango mountains. In these minor elevations 
the coal beds generally occur. In the southern part of 
the county are the Round Top hill, near Middletown and 
Hummelstown, and other isolated knolls, belonging to 
the Conewao-o rano-e. 

The Susquehanna river runs a distance of 48 miles 
along the western edge of the county; its western shore, 
as we have previously stated, being the boundary line. 
The scenery along the bank is grand and picturesque, 
especially where the river breaks through the great 
mountain ranges. At Harrisburg, Rockville, Dauphin 
and Duncan's Island the grandeur and beauty of nature 
are enhanced by magnificent engineering structures. The 
other prominent streams in the county are the Swatara 
river or creek, entering the Susquehanna at Middletown; 
Conewago creek, the southern boundary; Paxton creek, 
Fishing creek, Stony creek, Clark's creek, Powell's creek, 
Armstrong creek, Big and Little Wiconisco creeks, and 
Mahantango creek, the northern boundary. 

The pioneers of the county were agriculturists. They 
came here with no knowledge or care for any other pur- 
suit, and looked for no greater results than the enjoy- 
ment of religious privileges, the increase of their estates 
by removing the heavy forests and adding other acres 
to their original purchases. Of manufactures they knew 
little. The grist mill and saw mill, the blacksmith 
and tailor shops — all as indispensable as the plow and 
the axe — they provided for, as among the necessaries of 
a farmer's life. The spinning wheel was in every house, 
and the loom in every neighborhood; and almost every 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. iii 

article of clothing was the product of female domestic 
industry. Thus no general manufacturing interest was 
prevalent. The policy and laws of the mother country 
had discouraged this. But the iron beds in the coun- 
try could not lie neglected. Iron was indispensable, and 
its transportation from the east to the west of the col- 
ony was laborious and expensive. The manufacture of 
bloomed iron in this region commenced before the Revo- 
lution. The ore was often transported from the ore 
beds to the forges in the neighborhood of Ouitapahillo and 
Swatara creeks, in leather sacks upon horses. In those 
days it was not uncommon for bar iron to become a sort 
of circulating medium, and promissory notes were as fre- 
quently made payable in iron as in money. 

Even as late as 1796 the county was not believed to 
be destined to become a manufacturing county. About 
that period William Folsom commenced the manufacture 
of nails in Harrisburg, and he was followed shortly after 
by a number of others in the same business. Outside of 
the bar iron already mentioned, wrought nails seem to 
have been the first marketable commodity manufactured 
in the county. 

To show the progress of manufactures in the county 
twenty-five years after its organization, we submit the 
following statistics from the census of 18 10. It will be 
seen that even up to that period most of its products 
were of domestic manufacture: 



I 12 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County 



Cotton goods made in fam- 
ilies 22,776 yds 

Number of cotton manu- 
facturing establishments, 3 
Flaxen cloth made in fam- 
ilies 81,660 yds 

Mixed cloth and hempen. 245,304 yds 
Woolen cloth in families. . .77,451 yds 
Total value of all kinds of 

cloth manufactured $265,410 

Cotton & wool spun in mills, 21,995 lb 

Value of same $16,497 

Looms 761) 

Carding machines 14 

Pounds of wool carded .... 38, 495 

Value of same $3,859 

Fulling-mills 7 

Yards fulled 38,280 

Value of same $5,480 

Labor saving machinery: 

Mills 3 

Spindles 270 

Hatteries 24 

Wool and mixed hats made, 10,350 

Fur hats 3,468 

Value of all kinds of hats 

made $26,400 

Blast furnaces, number of. 1 

Tons of iron manufactured, 2,790 

Value of same $139,500 

Forges 2 

Tons of iron forged 390 

Value of same $39,000 

Nailories . 17 

Pounds of nails made 160,880 

Value of same $17,318 

Gun boring mills 1 

Value of same $500 

Gun manufactories 2 

Guns made 35 

Hides made 85 

Value of guns and rides. . . $1,480 

No. of blacksmith shops. . . 68 

Value of same $18,326 

Steel manufactured 50 tons 

Value of same $12,000 

Tin and copper ware man- 
ufactories 7 

Number of pieces made. . . 21,000 

Value of same $29,400 



Tanneries 39 

Value of same $15,595 

Shoes, boots and slippers 

made 35,750 pis 

Saddles and bridles made. . 1,601 
Value of shoes, saddles and 

bridles $76.0:59 

Flax seed oil mills 9 

Gallons made 10,036 

Value of same $10,080 

Distilleries 104 

Gallons distilled 222, 642 

Value of same $111,321 

Breweries 4 

Barrels brewed 1,150 

Value of same $4, 600 

Cooper shops 31 

Value of products : $14,683 

Water turning machines. . . 1 

Value of same $2,000 

Sugar refineries 1 

Pounds made 150 

Value of same $18 

Paper mills _ 1 

Reams made 2,500 

Value of same $7,500 

Potteries 10 

Pieces made 41,973 

Value of same $2,400 

Book binderies 7 

Value of business $3,050 

Printing offices 6 

Value of same $7,S00 

Flour mills 65 

Bushels of grain used 377,754 

Value of same $377,754 

Sawmills 75 

Feet of lumber sawed 1,094,198 

Value of same $10,069 

Brick kilns 9 

Number of brick made. . . . < 30,' 00 

Value of same $3, 760 

Lime kilns 29 

Bushels of Lime made 4,360 

Value of same $600 

Horses 10,(100 

Neat cattle 38,341 

Sheep, merino and common 

breed mixed 16 

Common sheep 39,511 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 113 

There were no returns of cabinet, wagon and carriage 
makers. 

Limited as the state of manufacturing was at this 
period, the figures show a very healthy condition, in pro- 
portion to the population they were intended to supply. 

Most, if not all the manufacturing establishments in 
the county, at this period, were located in or near 
Harrisburg, Middletown, Hummelstown and Halifax. 
These points constituted common centres for trade with 
the farmers. The merchants then were the brokers, as 
they are to some extent in county towns now, and stood 
between the farmer and the markets. They received all 
his produce, and supplied all he wished to buy. The 
thrifty farmer, on settlement, received his annual balance 
from the merchant, and this enabled him to increase his 
acres. 

The discovery of coal in Lykens valley, about the 
year 1825, gave a new impetus to the business pros- 
perity of the county, and stimulated the settlement to a 
region of country that then seemed destined by nature, 
to be a perpetual waste. The first coals mined, were 
sent to market on rude lumbering wagons, and averaged 
possibly a ton or two per day. The mining operations 
were subsequently carried on by a company, who built 
a railroad from the mines to Millersburg, on the Susque- 
hanna. Here the coals were ferried across the river to 
the Pennsylvania Canal, on the west side, and the coal 
discharged into canal boats, being chiefly transported to 
Baltimore, by way of the Pennsylvania and Tide Water 
canals. The subsequent completion of the Wiconisco 
canal, on the cast side of the; river, from Millersburg to 
the head of the Eastern division of the Pennsylvania 
canal at Clark's Ferry, on Duncan's Island, greatly facil- 



114 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

itated the coal trade of this region, which from that period, 
has steadily increased. 

The increase in wealth and prosperity of the county 
during' the thirty years following iSro, was encouraging 
if not particularly marked. 

According to the census of ] 840, there were three 
furnaces in the county, which produced 3,000 tons of 
cast iron; three forges and rolling mills, which produced 
466 tons of bar iron; the furnaces and forges consumed 
5,537 tons of fuel; employed 224 men, including mining 
operations; and the entire capital invested in the trade, 
was $120,000. There were mined 8,000 tons of coal in 
the county; in which 30 men were employed; the capital 
invested was $150,000. 

Live Stock — 5,852 horses and mules; 17,429 neat 
cattle; 15,714 sheep; 27,817 swine; poultry of all kinds, 
estimated at $13,784. 

Cereal Grains — 277,248 bushels of wheat; 1,980 
bushels of barley; 398,544 bushels of oats; 202,771 
bushels of rye; 24,079 bushels of buckwheat; 30^,363 
bushels of corn. 

Various Products — 24,021 pounds of wool; 604 
pounds of hops; 1,000 pounds of beeswax; 125,051 
bushels of potatoes; 18,008 tons of hay; 3^ tons ol 
hemp and flax; 46,730 pounds of tobacco; 322 pounds 
of silk cocoons; 9,024 cords of wood sold. 

The value of the products of the dairy was $54,208; 
172 gallons of wine were made; and the value of home- 
made, or family goods, was $13,330. 

Value of manufactured tobacco, $5,000; 8 persons 
employed in the business, and the capital invested was 
$3,250. The value of hats, caps and bonnets manu- 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 115 

factured, was $118 50 — 19 persons employed; and the 
capital invested was $7,350. 

There were 20 tanneries, which tanned 14,935 sides 
of sole-leather, and 6,044 sides of upper; employed 58 
hands, and the capital invested was $82,200. All other 
manufactories of leather, saddleries, &c, were 26; the 
value of the articles manufactured was $58,800; and the 
capital invested $28,610. Twenty thousand pounds of 
soap, and 60,000 pounds of candles, were made, with an 
invested capital of $4,500. There were 1 7 distilleries, 
which produced 147,000 gallons; four breweries, which 
produced 466,920 gallons. Four potteries, the value of 
whose manufactured articles was $2,300; five men em- 
ployed, with an invested capital of $850. 

Value of produce of market gardens, $4,850; value of 
nurseries of florists, $800; 26 men employed; capital 
invested $2,000. Three commission houses; capital 
$23,500. Retail dry goods, grocery, and other stores, 
133; capital invested $479,110. Ten lumber yards; 
capital invested $59,000; 47 men employed. Twenty- 
six butchers; capital invested $19,400. Value of lumber 
produced $1,228. Fifty barrels of tar manufactured; 
1 man employed. Value of machinery manufactured 
$2,000; 3 men employed. Forty-seven small arms 
made. Value of bricks and lime manufactured $21,219; 
91 men employed. 

Nine fulling mills; six woolen manufactories; value of 
manufactured goods $6,215; 31 persons employed; 
capital invested $4,056. One paper manufactory; 12 
printing offices; 6 binderies; 11 weekly newspapers; 
113 men employed; capital invested $73,500. Two 
rope walks; value of products $7,000; 1 1 men em- 
ployed; capital invested $2,800. 



1 1 6 Historical Sketch of DmipJiin County. 

Carnages and wagons manufactured, value of, $13,- 
185; 51 men employed; capital $5,040. Twenty-nine 
flouring mills; 15,431 barrels of flour manufactured; 35 
grist mills; 76 saw mills and 2 oil mills. Value of furni- 
ture manufactured $14,750; 44 men employed; capital 
invested $6,040. Sixteen brick and stone houses built 
during the previous year; ~\>1 frame houses; value of 
constructing or building, $72,790. Value of all manu- 
factured articles not enumerated, $5,1 20; capital invested 
$39,025. Total capital invested in manufactures in the 
county, $367,315. 

During the two next decades, notwithstanding the 
serious, but brief financial depressions of 1842 and 1857, 
the county increased rapidly in wealth and prosperity. 
New railroads and additional collieries were opened; 
new business enterprises inaugurated, and large manu- 
facturing establishments erected. The natural increase 
in the population of the county was much augmented by 
the emigration of families, either to engage in manu- 
facturing, or agricultural pursuits. New villages were 
laid out and became flourishing towns; and the price of 
real estate, both in town and country, appreciated in 
value. 

The census returns of i860 give the following as the 
farm products of the county: 

Acres of land improved in farms, 170,725; unimproved 
in farms, 52,852; cash value of farms, $13,000,746; value 
of farming implements, &c, $439,680; number of horses, 
7,587; mules and asses, 152; milk cows, 10.473; work- 
ing oxen, 10; other cattle, 8,846; sheep, 4,546; swine, 
22,892; value of live stock, $1,039,396; wheat, bushels, 
363,791; rye, 116,220; Indian corn, 715,816; oats, 544,- 
476; tobacco, lbs., 99,270; wool, lbs., 12,815; peas and 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County 



1 1 



beans, bushels, 1,935; Irish potatoes, 231,666; sweet po- 
tatoes, 5,775; barley, bushels, 1,052: buckwheat, bushels, 
16,017; orchard products, value of, $43,546; wine, gal- 
lons, 441; market garden products, value of, $62,103; 
butter, lbs., 791,885; cheese, lbs,, 2,333; h av > tons, 39,- 
205; clover seed, bushels of, 7,887; grass seeds, bushels, 
1,955; hops, lbs., 448; flax, lbs., 1,087; flaxseed, bushels, 
136; sorgum molasses, gallons, 164; beeswax, lbs., 405; 
honey, lbs., 3,501 ; manufactures, home made, value of, 
$54,234; animals slaughtered, value of, $280,223. 

The following table illustrates only the leading manu- 
facturing operations in the county in i860: 




Agricultural Implements. . . . 

Boots and Shoes 

Cars 

( joal, Anthracite 

( lotton Goods 

Flour and Meal 

Iron — bar, sheet and railroad 

Iron Blooms 

Iron Castings 

Stoves 

Iron. Pig 

Leather 

Liquors, distilled 

malt 

Lumber, planed 

" sawed 

Machinery, steam engines. . . 

Marble and stone work 

Printing, oewspapers 

Tin, Copper and Sheet-iron. . 

Clothing, men 

Total of all, including those 
not enumrratrd above 



&23,000 

29,765 

66,000 

650,000 

1ST, Olio 

207,500 

60,000 

11,500 

•24.000 

Ll,500 

441,000 

156,800 

25, 000 

22,500 

75,000 

160,500 

36,005 

13,700 

28,500 

16,300 

34.008 



ss,;;|s 

18,455 

01. son 

36,125 

191,307 

294,920 

1 11.0 

lo.s 10 

12,212 

4,350 

237,541 

99,728 

76,887 

14,586 

00.1:0 

126,250 

8,433 

5,050 

10,400 

13,387 

31,310 



23 

11.-) 
140 
525 
356 



40 
29 
1!) 
13 

137 
65 
16 
12 
34 

105 
15 
21 
36 
29 

L23 



$7,800 

24,408 

38,400 

162,000 

63,060 

13,608 

16,800 

8,700 

7,800 

4,560 

48,600 

18,624 

6,060 

3,432 

11,040 

31,044 

4,932 

5,160 

4,860 

7,608 

21,756 



$35,000 

17,771 

168,000 

'.'(ir,,ooo 

319,450 

323,115 

1.52,01 

36,000 

21,400 

L2,500 

363,566 

100. -J is 

97,600 

33,190 

so.ooo 

237,494 

44,353 

20,050 

39,000 

25,217 

59,115 



321 2,544,558 l.o;-u;:,i; ■_>:;]:, 01 ;. iso 0.0 n;.:;s-j 



The decade between i860 and 1870, is particularly 
distinguished as an era of marked prosperity in the his- 
tory of the county. The civil war created a demand for 



16 



1 1 8 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

vast supplies in almost every article of manufacture, and 
the county, owing to its peculiar geographical location 
and transportation facilities, contributed more than an 
ordinary share in the general aggregate of production. 

The following returns from the census report of 1870 
will, by comparing it with the returns of i860, give the 
reader a very impressive notion of the progress of the 
county during the intervening decade: 

Acres improved land, 172,586; woodland, 57.788; other 
unimproved land, 3,461 ; cash value of farms, $19,053,433 ; 
value of farming implements and machinery, $582,291 ; 
total value of farm productions, including betterments 
and additions to stock, $3,034,199; orchard products, 
$58,021; produce of market gardens, $40,695; forest 
products, $11,225; value of home manufactures, $14,- 
997; value of animals slaughtered, $475,479; value of 
all live stock, $1,660,572 ; horses, 7,002 ; mules and asses, 
578; milch cows, 10,298; working oxen, 5; other cattle, 
10,336; sheep, 4,462 ; swine, 19,239; winter wheat, bush- 
els, 422,637; rye, 56,527; Indian corn, 714,886; oats, 
727,535; barley, 334; buckwheat, 



I /is fori fa/ Sketch of Dauphin County. 



119 



Inimstki I.S. 



- BO 



~ 



» a —. 




Agricultural Implements 

Belting and Hose, (leather) 

Boats 

Book-binding 

Boots and Shoes 

Bread & other bakery products. 
Brick 



Brooms 

( iarriages and Wagons 

(airy {freight and Passengers. 

( lothing, men's 

( loflfee and Spices, ground 

( lonfectionery 

( looperage 

Cotton Goods 

Flowering Mill Products 

Furniture 

Gas 



Iron, Blooms 

Forged and Rolled. . . 
Xails and Spikes, cut . 

Pigs 

< Hastings 

Leather, Tanned 

Curried 

Moroco Tanned. . . . 

Lime 

Liquors, Distilled 

Malt 

Lumber, Planed 

Sawed 

Machinery, not specified . . . . 

Cigars... 

I pholstery 

Wood -ward 

Wood. Turned and Carved.. 

Wood-ware 

Woolen Goods 




1 
g 

1 

1 
16 

14 
•) 

15 

4 

16 



(» 

2 

32 

16 

1 

1 

4 

1 

7 

12 

16 

7 

1 

2!) 



18 
14 
1:5 
4 
3 
8 
1 
8 



$22,800 

5,000 

4,500 

15,000 

23,500 

32,80.0 

99,634 

9,500 

67,800 

115,770 

15,375 

4,500 

2,700 

14,700 

251,500 

880,1 

33,975 

14 300,000 

20 6,000 

802 879,000 

17.-). no 1 

582,800 

313,250 

140,001 

50,000 

18,000 

26,200 

41,000 

30,00 1 

237,000 

734,700 

138 124,150 

33 13,800 

13 5,900 

140 265,000 

69 86,075 

55 80,000 

89 167,000 



3 
13 
22 
65 
55 

210 
is 
!).-, 

216 

51 

7 

17 

20 

282 
89 
72 



294 

187 

59 

18 

7 

7!) 

16 

16 

(is 

212 



$7,275 

1,812 

2. si 10 

6,500 

26,000 

17.S40 

42,899 

1,500 

34,488 

79,780 

12,990 

1,965 

3,000 

5,350 

53,200 

17,195 

29,350 

9,092 

3,000 

504,004 

51,428 

132,320 

93,400 

16,730 

7,450 

2. si 10 

13,393 

6,600 

6,000 

39,840 

88,420 

220,980 

8,980 

3,276 

47,600 

32,915 

35,000 

29, 882 1 



$11,(1*1} 

8,91 ! 

3,680 

92,809 

37,800 

44,760 

22,542 

24,557 

35,865 

577,101 

19,499 

38,100 

10, 173 

23,900 

247,945 

715,1 Hi 

21,767 

27,045 

44.200 

2,111,744 

333,931 

713,271 

275,684 

130,407 

75,744 

23,333 

32,191 

30,000 

18,956 

202. ion 

546,416 

597,293 

15,768 

13,000 

59,180 

35,460 

36,000 

72.725 



$30,202 
15,000 
10,500 

100,000 
72.000 
so,; Hi 
88,110 
30,113 

120,315 
1,120,221 
30,800 
41,800 
18,300 
34,130 

326,600 

879,844 

72,500 

60.115 

49,300 

2,791,554 

400.000 

iiso,; 07 

436,260 

182,203 

92,384 

35,000 

54,861 

L39,528 

32,402 

298,596 

795,784 

861,951 

37,168 

20,287 

222,915 

95,165 

1 -JIM, OO 

130,035 



The following, from the same report, is a recapitulation 
of the manufacturing industries of the county: 

Number of manufacturing establishments, 587; steam 
engines, 107; horse power of same, 6,830; water wheels, 
102; horse power of same, 1400; total, 4,865; hands em- 
ployed, 4,865 ; capital invested, $6,557,520; wages paid, 



i 20 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

$1,998,486; materials, $9,248,585; value of products, 
$i3»5 I 4»i56. 

A much better idea of the magnitude of the progress 
of the county, within the period indicated, may be had 
by contrasting the totals of the two census returns, viz: 

I860. Number of manufacturing establishments 321 

1870. Number of manufacturing establishments 587 

I860. Workmen employed 2, 315 

1870. Workmen employed 4,865 

1860. Capital invested $2,544,558 • 

1870. Capital invested $6,557,520 

1860. Cost of raw material $1,632,656 

1870. Cost of raw material $9,248,585 

1860. Value of products $2,946,382 

1870. Value of products $13,514,156 

It will be observed by the above figures that the in- 
crease in the number of establishments is nearly ioo 
per centum; in the amount of capital invested, and the 
number of workmen employed, it is considerable over 
200 per centum ; in the cost of the raw material, it is 
nearly 500 per centum ; and in the value of the products, 
it is over 400 per centum. 

The rates of increase in manufacturing operations in 
the county up to the commencement of the present bus- 
iness depression, was in no wise diminished; and but for 
this unfortunate cause, we are satisfied that the next 
census would have shown an equal if not a greater per 
centage of increase. 

Anions the manufacturing establishments not included 
in the returns of 1870, are the Pennsylvania steel works, 
at Baldwin, a few miles east of Harrisburtr To show 
how large a proportion these works bear to the manu- 
facturing industry of the county, we may state that the 
average production of steel at these works is about 1 2,000 
pounds at each heat, and during the twenty-four hours 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 121 

there are twenty-five heats; thus allowing for all waste, 
the daily production of steel rails is about 1 20 tons, be- 
sides a large amount of railroad frogs and crossings. 

The amount of coal consumed in the forge and rail 
mills is 2,000 tons per month, and in the Bessemer plants 
about 1,800 tons per month. 

These figures, allowing 312 working days in the year, 
give us the annual consumption and products of the 
works as follows: 

Consumption — Pig Iron, 574,040 tons; Coal, 45,000 
tons. Products — Steel Rails, 312,000 tons. 

Other large and important industrial establishments 
have been put in operation at Middleton, Highspire, 
Hummelstown, Millersburg, Lykens and Williamstown 
since 1870, and of course are not included in the re- 
turns of that year. 

But our province is merely to sketch, not to elaborate ; 
and in the retrospect, w r e have given, there is abundant 
cause for gratitude and praise on the part of all who re- 
side, or were born and reared in Dauphin county. Truly 
Providence has most highly favored us. Our resources 
are varied; our soil is everywhere strong, on the hills 
and by the streams; we are rich in the most useful min- 
erals in the world; and our streams of purest water 
afford facilities everywhere for industrial operations. 
The; lirst settlers of the county were remarkable men; 
they were men of strong moral and religious principles 
— men of cultivated minds — men of industrious and fru- 
gal habits — full of enterprise and perseverance. They 
established and set in motion and gave direction to a 
state of society singularly perfect. Their own character 
they impressed upon their descendants. The result has 



i 2 2 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

been that the county has long been the happy home of a 
large population, intelligent, virtuous, refined, possessing 
in a great degree pecuniary independence, and all the 
privileges, social, moral, educational and religious, which 
can promote the benefit and happiness of a community. 
Amid its magnificent scenery, surrounded by happy in- 
fluences, and enjoying the advantages there afforded, 
have been trained numerous sons and daughters, who 
have emigrated to other portions of the country. Most 
of whom have been prosperous and successful in what- 
ever business engaged. Many of them have attained 
high distinction and o-reat usefulness. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 12, 



THE CITIES, BOROUGHS AND TOWNS OF THE 

COUNTY. 



HARRISBURG. 

Harrisburg, the seat of justice of Dauphin county and 
capital of Pennsylvania, is situated on the east bank of 
the Susquehanna river, one hundred and six miles from 
Philadelphia, one hundred and twenty-one from Wash- 
ington city, two hundred and forty-eight from Pittsburg, 
eighty-two from Baltimore, and one hundred and eighty- 
two from the city of New York. 

By a grant from Thomas Penn and Richard Penh, 
Esqrs., proprietaries, to John Harris, jr., dated "ye 19th 
February, 1753," that gentleman was allowed the right of 
running a ferry across the Susquehanna, from which ori- 
ginated the name Harris Ferry, by which the place was 
known previous to the organization of the county. 

John Harris, jr., issued proposals for laying out a town 
at his ferry, at least ten years previous to the erection of 
the county. The town, however, was not laid out until 
[785, when the original intentions of Mr. Harris were 
consumated by his son-in-law, William Maclay. 

The town, as originally laid out, extended only as far 
south as Mulberry street, and the lot belonging to Mr. 
Valentine Egle, on the upper corner of Front and Mul- 
berry streets, was numbered one on the plan of the town. 
In the course of a few years afterwards it was extended 
to Mary's alley, and in 1792 the executors of Mr. Harris 
extended the plan of lots still further southward. 



124 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

There is no house except the stone house on Front 
street, the property of Hon. Simon Cameron, now stand- 
ing within the present limits of Harrisburg, which is cer- 
tainly known to have been erected before the town was 
laid out. 

John Hamilton, the grand father of A. B. Hamilton, 
Esq., erected the first permanent embellishment to the 
town, after Harris' stone house, by building a brick house 
on the corner of Front street and Blackberry alley, and 
a large establishment for his store on the corner of Mar- 
ket square and Market street. Neither of those build- 
ings are now standing-. The latter structure was con- 
verted into a tavern, and was for many years known as 
the Washington Hotel. It stood on the site of the pres- 
ent Jones' House. 

The act erecting the town of Harrisburg into a bor- 
ough, was passed on the 13th day of April, 1 791 ; and 
an act to alter the same, without interfering with the 
boundaries originally laid down, was approved February 
1, 1808. The limits of the borough as incorporated in 
1 791, began at low water mark on the eastern shore of 
the Susquehanna river; thence by the pine apple tree 
north sixty degrees and one quarter east seventy-nine 
perches to an ash tree on the west bank of Paxton 
creek; thence by the several courses thereof three hun- 
dred and seventy-three perches to a white hickory on 
William Maclay's line; thence by the same south sixty- 
seven and three quarter degrees west two hundred and 
twelve perches to a marked chestnut oak on the eastern 
bank of the Susquehanna; thence by the same course to 
low water mark to the place of beginning. This made 
the northern limit of the borough South street. 

The borough limits were extended by the act of 16th 
April, 1838, in the following language: The north- 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 125 

western boundary line of the borough of Harrisburg 
shall be, and the same is hereby extended and enlarged 
as follows: Extending it along the river line to the up- 
per line of the land of the late William Maclay on said 
river; thence to Paxton creek, and thence along said 
creek to the north-western corner of the present bound- 
ary; thus annexing the town of Maclaysburg, or in other 
words, taking in the territory now comprehended be- 
tween South and Herr streets. 

The minutes of the first Town Council are not to be 
found, and the only record we can discover relative to 
the affairs of the borough in the first year of its incorpo- 
ration, is singularly enough, a deed of charity, being an 
account of the Overseers of the Poor, who posted their 
credit as follows: "To amount of hogs and butter for ye 
use of ye poor, £\6 is. i^d." 

The seventh section of the act of March 4, 1 785, erect- 
ing the county of Dauphin, directs the Court to sit for 
the said county near Harris Ferry. The design was to 
leave to John Harris the privilege of naming the town. 
But the Chief Justice M'Kean, and some of the judges 
of the Supreme Court conceived the notion that, as the 
county was called after the Dauphin of France, the town 
should be called Louisburg, after Louis XVI. Accord- 
ingly, in the first precept for holding the courts here, the 
court was directed to be held at Louisburg. John Harris, 
however, told the judges that they might "Louisburg" as 
much as they pleased, but that he would never execute 
a title* for any lot in any other name than that of Harris- 
burg; and his determination prevailed. 

The building in which the first court at Harrisburg 
was held, was a log house, until about thirty years ago, 
at the corner of what is now Washington avenue and 



126 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Front street, and the "pillory," or punishing place, was 
in that neighborhood. The courts were afterwards held 
in the old log jail which formerly stood on the north-west 
side of Strawberry alley, a short distance north-east of 
Raspberry alley, and in a log house which formerly stood 
on the lot now occupied by the Farmer's Hotel, on the 
east side of Market street, below Third. From this place 
the court moved into the building which formerly stood 
on the site of the present structure. When it vacated 
this for the use of the Legislature in December, 1812, it 
moved into the then partially finished brick building 
owned at the time by Mr. Capp, now known as the 
White Hall Tavern. While here, the commissioners 
erected the brick building at the corner of Walnut street 
and Raspberry alley, into which the court moved and 
which it occupied until the Legislature vacated the court 
house. 

The entire cost of the court building that immediately 
preceded the present edifice, was £s>979 1 Is - 8^d. The 
present court house was erected in. i860, at a cost of 
about $83,000. The original contract of Messrs. Hol- 
man & Wilt was for $57,012 57, but before the building 
was completed, an additional expense of some $25,000 
for extras was put in, and after some dispute with the 
authorities, was allowed. 

The first courts in the county were held by justices, and 
the earliest record of a court reads — "At a Court of 
Quarter Sessions, holden near Harris Ferry, in and for 
the county of Dauphin," &c, on the "third Tuesday of 
May, in the year of our Lord 1785, before Timothy 
Green, Samuel Jones and Jonathan M'Clure, Esqrs., Jus- 
tices of the same court." 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 127 

The sheriff of Lancaster county officiated until the 
election of that officer by the new count)-. 

The names of the grand jurymen were, James Cowden 
(foreman), Robert Montgomery, John Gilchrist, Barefoot 
Brunson, John Clark, Rowen M'Clure, John Carson, John 
Wilson, William Crane, Archibald M'Allister, Richard 
Dixon, John Pattimore, James Crouch, Jacob Awl, Wm. 
Brown, Andrew Stewart, James Rogers, Samuel Stewart, 
John Cooper, Alexander Berryhill. 

Alexander Graydon was the first prothonotary, An- 
thony Kelker the first sheriff, and Rudolph Kelker the 
first deputy sheriff. 

The earliest record of a punishment is that inflicted on 
William Courtney and Jesse Rowland, who were sen- 
tenced to receive eighteen lashes and pay fifteen shillings 
sterling on the 18th of August, 1785, between the hours 
of four and six in the afternoon. Several records occur 
in which punishment was inflicted by lashes, and stand- 
ing in the pillory. 

A large number of the cases tried during the first 
term, were for horse stealing. 

In 1793 Harrisburg was very sickly, the chief ailment 
being a malarius fever, which took an epidemical lorm. 
A number of Irish emigrants died, and many ol the citi- 
zens were more or less affected by it. The chiei cause- 
was ascribed to a stagnant mill dam belonging to Peter 
and Abraham Landis, in the lower section of the town. 
The citizens remonstrated with the owners, who stood on 
their vested rights and refused to listen; the people then 
appealed to the authorities, and the case was in a fair 
way for an interminable litigation. But, in the mean 
time, the deaths and sickness continued; and the people, 



128 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

exasperated with the stubbornness of the owners, held 
town meetings and resolved to take the matter in their 
own hands. Accordingly, one blustery snowy morning, 
at a signal from the court house bell, the citizens assem- 
bled, with the implements of destruction in their hands, 
and proceeded to the dam, which they demolished amid 
the loud vivas of the assembled multitude. The citi- 
zens subsequently paid the owners ^2,633 4s. 6d. for the 
mill property, which amount was raised by taxation. 

After considerable opposition from various causes, the 
seat of government of Pennsylvania was established at 
Harrisburg in 1810. The present capitol building, how- 
ever, was not completed and occupied until December 22, 
1822, the Legislature in the mean time sitting in the 
court house, which formerly stood on the site of the pres- 
ent structure. 

In i860 Harrisburg received the highest corporate 
honors in the power of the Legislature to bestow — that 
of being made a city, and that it is destined to become a 
large and populous city, must be apparent to all who are 
acquainted with its geographical location and local ad- 
vantages. 

In 1850 Harrisburg had a population of some 6,000 
inhabitants. Its population in i860 was 13,000; in 1870 
it was 23,000; and by a voluntary census, taken by the 
police under instructions from the authorities, in 1876, 
it was found to contain 27,000 inhabitants, thus continu- 
ing to increase since i860 at the rate oi nearly 90 
per cent. 

Since i860 there have been built over four hundred 
acres of additional ground to what the city occupied in 
that year, averaging yearly an increase of forty acres of 
buildings. In i860 the whole district north of North 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 129 

street was little else than meadow land. Now it is built 
up to Maclay street. Skirting the river from North 
street to Maclay street, and from the river to Twelfth 
street, there is a district of at least five hundred acres, of 
which four-fifths are covered with buildings of the most 
substantial character. In i860 Allison's hill had but five 
or six houses on it. Now at least fifty acres are built 
over, or occupied as gardens, and fifty acres more are 
laid out in building lots. All this, besides that portion 
of the city built over from Paxton street to the Lochiel 
iron works. 

This increase in the population of the city has carried 
along with it general prosperity, which is particularly 
exemplified in the increased value of real estate. The 
Osier property consisted, inclusive of streets, of five acres 
of land between Boas and Herr streets on the north and 
south, and Second and Third streets on the east and 
west. In i860, the heirs of this estate were offered 
$2,500 for the tract, or at the rate of $500 per acre gross, 
that is including streets and alleys. This offer was 
declined. In 1863 the heirs were offered $50,000, or 
$1 0,000 per acre for the tract, an increase of $9,500 per 
acre, which offer was also declined. In 1868, this same 
piece of ground was sold at public sale, and brought the 
enormous sum of sixty-three thousand dollars, or $1 2,600 
per acre, and those parts of it now vacant could not be 
purchased at less than $20,000 per acre, or at the rate of 
$100,000 for the whole, exclusive of buildings. At the 
present, six years later, Messrs. Fink & Boyer hold 
about one-half acre of this land for which they have been 
offered $15,000, making the value of an acre $30,000, 
which in i860 could have been purchased for $500. 
Other persons holding lands in the same neighborhood 



130 Historical Sketch af Dauphin County. 

who purchased from the Foster estate, ask prices still 
higher than those just given. In 1863, the school board 
bought a lot on Third street, near Briggs, for $100. In 
1868, deeming it expedient to sell it, they did so, realizing 
the sum of $3,500 for the same. Nor are all these excep- 
tional cases. Many individuals made much better bar- 
gains than these. In 1865 Dr. George W. Reily threw 
upon the market eighty-five acres of land, and has since 
sold it out, except five acres, having thrown it into lots 
at the rate of $8,500 per acre. This almost a mile be- 
yond the northern limits of the city in i860. East- 
ward property has increased at the same rate, as it 
also has in the portion of our city from Paxton street to 
the Lochiel iron works. Instances: In 1868 D. Mumma, 
Esq., purchased from Dr. G. Baily ten acres of land on 
Allison's hill, for which he paid $16,000. He sold it in 
less than two years for $32,000. The same gentleman 
bought from Miller two acres of land, and from Dock 
four acres of land, situated below Paxton street, in 1865— 
6, for $2,500 per acre, and re-sold it in less than a year 
for $5,000 per acre. 

Nor is the prosperity of the city confined alone to the 
increased value of land. Within the last fifteen years 
manufacturing establishments have been greatly multi- 
plied, and to-day, in the amount of capital invested in 
manufacturing and the value of the goods manufactured, 
it takes rank as the third city in the State — in other 
words, it is only excelled by Philadelphia and Pittsburg. 

The city owes much of its prosperity to the prudent, 
liberal and wise management of its banks. They are 
eight in number, as follows: 

The Harrisburg National Bank; the First National 
Bank, which are national banks of issue, and the follow- 
ing State and private banks: 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 131 

The Dauphin Deposit Bank; the State Bank; the Me- 
chanics' Bank; the Farmer's Bank; the Real Estate 
Bank; Bank of Dougherty Bros. & Co. 

The extent of the business of the banks is shown in 
the fact that the aggregate of their average deposits is 
about $3,000,000, and their average loans and discounts 
nearly $3,500,000. 

The fact that our banks passed through the panic of 
1S74, without cither suspension or any material curtail- 
ment of accommodations, is an evidence of their strength 
and sagacity, as well as the financial ability of our busi- 
ness men. 

The stranger is struck with the number, magnitude 
and fine architecture of the public school buildings in 
Harrisburg. There are twenty-three in number, of which 
eighteen are owned by the school board, and five rented. 
The estimated value of the city school property is over 
$350,000. The schools afford room for about 5,000 
scholars, but the rapid increase of the population has 
crowded so fast upon the school accommodations that 
the\ r are behind the requirements of the city. The school 
system is an excellent one, and under the charge of an 
efficient superintendent. 

More than forty churches attest the prevalence of re- 
ligious zeal among the people of Harrisburg. Most of 
these edifices are very substantial and elegant, and some 
of them are remarkably fine specimens of ecclesiastical 
architecture. 

The city is supplied with gas whose mains extend for 
nearly thirteen miles through all the principal streets. 
The gas produced is of excellent quality, and furnished 
at a reasonable price. 



132 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

A street railway traverses the city from its northern to 
its southern end, with a transverse track to the several 
depots. 

There are few cities of greater size, equal Harrisburg 
in business activity, in the extent and wide geographical 
range of its trade, in the volume of its current financial 
transactions, in the solid strength and high standing of 
its business houses and banks, in the external marks of 
energy and vigorous prosperity, which are visible in the 
ceaseless whirl and clatter of its work shops, in the 
rush and shriek of its half hundred trains arriving and 
departing daily, in the solid and stately architecture of 
its business streets, in the palatial elegance of many of 
its private residences, churches and other public build- 
ings. Its business and industries have increased even 
faster than its population, while their capacities are 
limited only by the amount of capital invested in them. 






Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. i 

MIDDLETOWN. 



Middletown — so called from its being located midway 
between Lancaster and Carlisle — is a post town and 
borough in Swatara township. It is the oldest town in 
Dauphin county, having been laid out thirty years before 
Harrisburg, and seven years before Hummelstown, and 
is nine miles south-east of Harrisburg, at the confluence 
of the Susquehanna and Swatara, near which the Penn- 
sylvania and Union canals unite. We are indebted to 
Rupp's and Day's historical papers for the following par- 
ticulars respecting the town: 

It was laid out in 1755 by George Fisher, father of the 
late George Fisher, Esq., who lived until his death near 
the place, on a well cultivated farm which has been in 
the family since 1750, in the centre of a large tract of 
land bounded by the Susquehanna and Swatara, con- 
veyed to him by his father, John Fisher, Esq., a merchant 
of Philadelphia. The site was that of an ancient Indian 
village. 

The proprietor being a Friend, several o! this denom- 
ination from Philadelphia and the lower counties followed 
him; and these, with several Scotch and Irish merchants, 
formed the first inhabitants of the village, who enjoyed, 
up to the period of the revolution, a very extensive and 
lucrative trade with the Indian nations and others settled 
on the Susquehanna and Juniata, and also with the \\ 
ern traders. Several of the Scotch anil Irish merchants 
entered the army, whence few returned. During the 
revolutionary war a commissary department was estab- 
lished here, where the small boats of General Sullivan's 
arm)' were built, and his troops supplied with provisions 



134 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

and military stores for his expedition against the Six 
Nations. 

After the war, trade again revived and flourished ex- 
tensively until 1796, after which it gradually declined. 
Until then the mouth of the Swatara was considered the 
termination of the navigation of the Susquehanna and 
its tributary streams. So far down it was considered 
safe; below this it was believed to be impracticable, on 
account of the numerous and dangerous cataracts im- 
peding its bed. In 1 796 an enterprising German miller, 
by the name of Kreider, from the neighborhood of Hun- 
tingdon, on the Juniata, arrived in the Swatara in an 
ark, fully freighted with flour, with which he safely de- 
scended to Baltimore, where he was amply compensated 
for his meritorious adventure. His success becoming 
known throughout the interior, many arks were built, and 
the next year this mode of transportation became estab- 
lished. This trade increasing, a number of enterprising 
young men were induced to examine critically the river 
from Swatara to tide water, by which they became ex- 
cellent pilots. The enterprise of John Kreider thus 
diverted the trade of this place to Baltimore, where Jt 
principally centered until the Union canal was completed, 
in 1827, when it was again generally arrested at its old 
post. It would probably have so continued, if the Penn- 
sylvania canal had not been continued to Columbia, by 
which the principal obstruction in the river — the Cone- 
wago Falls — was completely obviated. Midclletown, or 
rather Portsmouth, laid out in 1814, by the son of the 
original proprietor, at the junction of the Union and 
Pennsylvania canals, again declined. A large trade, 
however, in lumber and other articles of domestic pro- 
duce, is still intercepted here, supplying the valleys ol 
the Swatara, Ouitapahilla, Tulpehocken and the Schuyl- 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 135 

kill. It may fairly be presumed, from the numerous local 
advantages enjoyed by the town, that it is destined ere 
long to become one of much importance. 

The town was incorporated into a borough February 
19, 1828, and contained in 1846, Rupp tells us, "about 
one hundred and fifty dwellings, several stores and tav- 
erns, a bank, four churches — Lutheran, German Re- 
formed, Methodist, and Church of God, or Bethel — sev- 
eral school houses, and the usual number of handicrafts. 
The first settlers were Irish, English, and some Scotch, 
but the present population is principally German." 

The same historian has the following, touching Ports- 
mouth before it was consolidated with Middletown, which 
occurred March 9, 1 S 5 7 , then having a population of 
750: 

'•Portsmouth, between Middletown and the Susque- 
hanna, was laid out in 1809 by George Fisher, Esq., son 
of Mr. Fisher who laid out Middletown, and at first called 
Harbortown. The same was changed to Portsmouth in 
1814. The Union canal, the Pennsylvania, the Harris- 
burg and Lancaster railroads all intersect here. 

"Between Portsmouth and Middletown, on the plain, 
stands the Emaus Institute, devoted to the education ol 
poor orphan children, where, it is said, the children are 
to be carefully trained in the doctrines of the: Evangelical 
Lutheran Church. Instruction is given in the German 
and English languages, and the charter has Peru so 
altered by the Legislature as to permit the establishment 
of a literary and scientil artment in connection with 

the ( )rphan House, in which all the branches of modern 
nin£ are taught. The institution owes its origin to 
the liberality of Mr. ( George Frey, formerly a distinguished 
citizen of Middletown. It has only been recently erected 
(1840), after many years of expensive and vexatious liti- 
gation, since the death of the donor, some forty years 
since, (died 1808). T! life of Mr. Frey was marked with 



136 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

not a little of romance. His name, by the way, was not 
Frey, but Everhart. 

"When Mr. Fisher, the founder of the town, first came 
to the place, he used to hire George, who was then a 
penniless German lad, to assist in plowing the fields and 
clearing up his new land. George lived with Mr. Fisher 
some years, until he had saved a little fund; but his am- 
bition looked above the plow, and investing his money 
in a stock of trinkets, finery, and orther articles, for In- 
dian traffic, he mounted his pack and started up the 
Susquehanna. Passing the mountains, he encountered 
a party of soldiers from the garrison at Fort Hunter, 
who arrested him as a runaway redemptioner, (a servant 
who had been sold for a time to pay his passage from 
Europe,) a character common in those days, and far 
more consistent with George's appearance and language 
than that of a peddler; for what peddler, said they, 
would risk life and property thus alone and on foot on 
this dangerous frontier ? 'Ich bin frey, ich bin irey,' (I 
am free,) repeated George earnestly, in German, in re- 
ply to their charges. He succeeded in convincing them 
of his independence, and went with them to the garrison, 
where he became quite a favorite, the soldiers knowing 
him by no other name than that of 'Frey,' which they had 
caught from his first reply to them. He sold out his 
pack at a fine profit, and continued to repeat his adven- 
tures, still passing as George Frey, until he was able to 
start a little store in Middletown, where he afterwards 
erected a mill. Near the close of the Revolution, when 
the old Continental money was gradually depreciating, 
George, who always kept both eyes open, contrived to 
be on the right side of the account, so that, instead of 
losing, he gained immensely by the depreciation; and, in 
short, by dint of untiring industry, close economy, sharp 
bargains, and lucky financiering, he at length be- 
came, on a small scale, the Stephen Girard of the village, 
and owned much of the real estate in and around the 
town. He had not, however, all the good things of 
this life; although he was married, Heaven had never 



Historical SkctcJi of DaupJtin County. 137 

blessed him with children — a circumstance which he 
deeply regretted, as certain worth)- fathers of the Lu- 
theran church can testify. The property, therefore, of 
the childless man was destined to cheer and educate the 
fatherless children of a succeeding age. He died in 
1807 or 1 80S, and a splendid seminary, erected about the 
year [840, is the monument of George Frey's benevo- 
lence. 

"After the consolidation of the two towns of Middle- 
town and Portsmouth, the old time interest in the grain 
trade was again revived. The reason why the place was 
so noted a mart for the sale of grain brought down the 
Susquehanna in keel-bottom boats and canoes was, the 
Conewago Falls, prevented their further descent. Much 
of the grain that was sold here was ground into flour at 
Frey's mill, or stored up and sold to the millers in Lan- 
caster county. In 1790 there was one hundred and fifty 
thousand bushels of wheat brought down the Susque- 
hanna, and passed through Middletown for the Philadel- 
phia market. 

"It is worthy of remark, en passant, that in the year 
1723 the family of Conrad Weiser, from the province 
of New York, leaving Schoharie, wended their way in a 
southwestern direction, traveling through the forest till 
the)- readied the Susquehanna river, where they made 
canoes, freighted them with their families, and floated 
down the river to the mouth of the Swatara creek ; thence 
worked their way up till the) - reached a fertile spot on 
Tulpehocken creek, in Berks county, where the)- settled. 

As an evidence of the moral, material and social pro- 
gress of Middletown, we ma)' mention that it has eight 
churches, namely, one each of the Lutheran, (the oldest 
church, after those of 1 >erry, Paxton and Hanover, in the 
county, having been erected 1767,) Presbyterian, Bethel, 
(Church of God,) Methodist Episcopal, New Mennonite, 
United Brethren, Roman Catholic, and African Metho- 
dist denominations. It has fourteen common schools and 



138 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

the Emmaus Orphans' School; six well kept hotels and 
a number of restaurants. It also has one lodge of A. Y. 
Masons, one encampment of the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows, one lodge of Knights of Pythias, one De- 
gree Council of the Improved Order of Red Men, one 
Circle of the Brotherhood of the Union, two lodges of 
the American Mechanics, and the Washington Bund, a 
German society. 

The location and business facilities of Middletown are 
not surpassed by any other town in Dauphin county, or 
of like population in the State. It contains among its 
manufacturing establishments two furnaces, one car and 
manufacturing works, a foundry and machine shop, fur- 
niture manufactory, tube works, five steam saw mills and 
general lumber yard manufactories; two sash, door and 
blind factories, a boat yard, paint and varnish works, a 
steam tannery, and an extensive cigar manufactory. It 
also has six dry goods and general stores, seven grocery 
and notion stores, three drug stores, three stove and tin- 
ware establishments, two breweries, two wholesale liquor 
stores, two harness and saddlery stores, several millinery 
and ladies' notion stores, a national bank and good 
weekly newspaper. The different professions and handi- 
crafts are also ably represented. The domestic market 
is well supplied, and carried on in a substantial brick 
building erected for that purpose. There is a beautiful 
and tastefully arranged incorporated cemetery and sev- 
eral others connected with the various churches. 

The municipal government of the town is vested in a 
burgess and a town council. It is divided into three 
wards, all of which are ably represented in the council 
chamber. The civil order of the place is maintained by 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 139 

constables. There is also an effective fire company, and 
steam fire engines and accoutrements. 

The population of Middletown in 1870 was 2,980, but 
is now fairly estimated at 4,000. The number of taxa- 
bles, according- to the assessor's return for 1874, was 
843; assessed value of real and personal property, by 
the same authority, was $449,593. 

HUMMELSTOWN. 

Hummelstown was laid out by Frederick Hummel, ( )c- 
tober 26, 1762, and as a town is consequently twenty- 
three years older than Harrisburg. It was for many 
years called Frederickstown; the precise date of the 
change in the name is not known. It is situated nine 
miles from Harrisburg, on the Reading turnpike, as well 
as the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, in a fertile 
limestone region, highly cultivated by wealthy and indus- 
trious Germans. Among its earliest settlers were Jacob 
Hummel, sr., John Fox, Frederick Hummel, George Gish 
George Fox, Christian Spayd, Frederick Richert, Daniel 
Baum and Adam Dean. During the Revolution the town 
was a depot for arms, ammunition, etc., from which the 
garrisons on the West Branch were supplied. 

The Swatara creek, along which runs the Union canal, 
is close by the town. On the banks of the Swatara, a 
short distance from the town, is a remarkable cave about 
half a mile in length, which is much visited in the summer 
season. It abounds with stalactites and stalagmites. 
Not far from this cave rises the lofty insulated hill called 
Round Top, from whose summit a fine prospect of the 
surrounding scenery can be had. 



140 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Hummelstown was incorporated into a borough by an 
order of court August 6, 1874. According to the census 
of 1870 it had a population of 837. being at that time the 
third borough in population in the county. Its taxable 
population was represented in 1874 by 249 taxables, and 
according to the assessor's returns for the same year the 
assessed value of its real and personal property was 
$200,589. 

HIGHSPIRE, 

A post town, situated between the Susquehanna and the 
Pennsylvania canal, on the. turnpike from Harrisburg to 
Middletown, six miles from the former and three from 
the latter. It is on the main branch of the Pennsylvania 
Railroad. The town was laid out in 181 4, by two Ger- 
mans named Barnes and Doughterman, who emigrated 
from Spire, a small village in Bavaria. By an act of As- 
sembly passed February 7, 1867, it was incorporated into 
a borough ; but the act was annulled on the 8th of April, 
1868. According to the census of 1870, the town con- 
tained a population of 612, but it is now fairly estimated 
at 750. It contains five general stores, one grist and 
one saw mill, two wheelwright shops, car shops, a distil- 
lery, a cigar manufactory, three good hotels, two churches, 
and three common schools, and several other business 
establishments, etc. 

MILLERSBURG. 

Millersburg was laid out in July of the year 1807, by 
Daniel Miller. The town is pleasantly situated north of 
Berry's mountain, at the confluence of the Wisconisco 
creek with the Susquehanna, twenty-three miles north ol 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 141 

Harrisburg, on the road leading to Sunbury. It stands 
on an elevated spot a short distance from the river. 

The first settlers of this region were Huguenots. 
Francis Jaques, or Jacobs, resided some time at Halifax, 
but afterwards located here, where he had "taken up" 
several thousand acres of land. Among others, Kleim La- 
rue, (Laroi,) Shorra or Jury. Werts, Stoever and Shutts, 
were early settlers here. 

Millersburg is becoming a place of considerable im- 
portance, being situated near the coal regions, with 
which it communicates by the Lykens Valley Railroad, 
and with Harrisburg by the Wisconisco canal and the 
Northern Central Railroad. 

The site of the present town was formerly a pine for- 
est, and an original lot owner could procure enough ol 
pine lumber to build a comfortable dwelling. The place 
was settled some time prior to the time it was laid out. 
Daniel Miller, the proprietor, and John Miller, his bro- 
ther, emigrated from Lancaster county about the year 
1790, and "took up" some four hundred acres of land and 
commenced a settlement, probably in the year 1794, 
which was finally laid out into town lots, as above stated. 
The prediction of a local historian touching the pros- 
' perity of Millersburg has been fulfilled to a large extent, 
for the Millersburg of to-day is quite a flourishing town, 
and the centre of transporation of a large amount oi coal. 

On the 8th of April, 1850, an act was passed and ap- 
proved by the Legislature of Pennsylvania incorporating 
Millersburg into a borough. From that time its progress 
has been rapid. Its business and social interests are 
now represented by live general and two drug stores and 
one hardware store, two confectioneries, two stove and 
tinware stores, two harness shops, a shoe store, a whole- 



142 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

sale tobacco establishment, one national and one discount 
bank, two hotels and two restaurants, five common 
schools and three churches, and a newspaper. Its man- 
ufactories are two tanneries, two steam saw mills, two 
sash, door and blind and planing mills, one foundry, and 
one shingle mill. 

The population of Upper Paxton township, as given in 
the census of 1870, was 1,371; of which 1360 were na- 
tive born and 11 foreign; 1,370 white and one colored. 
The number of taxables, as returned by the assessor in 
1874, was 469; the assessed value of real and personal 
property, $55,289. 

DAUPHIN. 

Dauphin was for many years called Port Lyon, and af- 
terwards Greensburg, taking the latter name from the 
Hon. Innis Green, by whom it was laid out about the year 
1826. It is beautifully situated on the Susquehanna 
river and on the turnpike from Harrisburg to Clark's 
Ferry, eight miles from the former place, at the conflu- 
ence of Stony creek with the Susquehanna. 

Dauphin was incorporated into a borough by an act of 
Assembly passed and approved on the 31st of March, 
1845. ^ contains three dry goods and grocery stores 
(combined,) two groceries, two tin shops, a planing 
mill and sash factory, a furnace, car works, an exten- 
sive tannery. Its moral and social interests are repre- 
sented by four churches, one each of the Presbyte- 
rian, Lutheran, Methodist and Evangelical denomina- 
tions; three common schools and one select school; also, 
a lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellows; a lodge 
of Patriotic Sons of America; a circle of the Brotherhood 
of the Union; and an encampment of Odd Fellows. It 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 143 

Has three hotels and a number of good restaurants. It 
is a post town. 

According to the census of 1870 Dauphin borough had 
a population of 739; the number of its inhabitants is now 
fairly estimated at 825; the number of taxables, as re- 
turned by the assessor in 1874, was 216; assessed value 
of real and personal property, $100,965. 

DUNCAN'S ISLAND. 

Duncan's Island is the name now applied to the flour- 
ishing settlement at the mouth of the Juniata, fourteen 
miles above Harrisburg. The name properly belongs to 
the narrow alluvial island, about two miles in length, at 
the point of which the village is situated. This island and 
its fellow, Haldeman's Island, although apparently in 
Perry county, are really in Dauphin, Perry having been 
formed from Cumberland; and the original boundary of 
that county having been the western shore of the Sus- 
quehanna. Haldeman's island (so called from its pres- 
ent owner) is not of alluvial origin, but is elevated far 
above the neighboring fiat-lands. The farm house on it 
commands a magnificent landscape comprising many of 
the wonders both of nature and art. The river here is 
nearly a mile in width, and is crossed by a wooden bridge. 
A dam across the river, just below the bridge, creates a 
pool, upon which canal boats cross by means of a double 
towing-path attached to the bridge. The canal continues 
up Duncan's Island, diverging at its upper end into the 
Juniata and Susquehanna divisions. The Juniata division 
then crosses the Juniata river on a splendid aqueduct, 
with wooden superstructure, and continues up the right 
bank. There is also a fine bridge to the island, across 
the mouth of the Juniata. 



1 44 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

David Brainerd, the devoted missionary, leaves a record 
of a visit to that island, which was then called "Juneauta" 
island, which he made in May, 1745. Writing on Sep- 
tember 19, 1 745, he says: "Visited an Indian town called 
Juneauta, situated on an island in the Susquehanna. 
Was much discouraged with the temper and behavior of 
the Indians here; although they appeared friendly when 
I was with them last spring, and they gave me encour- 
agement to come and see them again. But they now 
seem resolved to retain their pagan notions, and persist 
in their idolatrous practices." 

"This island," says Watson, "was the favorite home of 
the Indians, and there are still many Indian remains. At 
the angle of the canal near the great bridge, I saw the 
mound covered with trees from which were taken hun- 
dreds of cart loads of human bones, which were used 
with the intermixed earth, as filling materials for one of 
the shoulders or bastians of the dam. There was also 
among them leads, trinkets," etc. 

The island was originally settled by a Swedish family 
named Huling, who came from Marcus Hook. Mr. Dun- 
can's maternal grand-father, Marcus Huling, established a 
ferry across the mouth of the Juniata, and built a causeway 
at the upper end of the island for pack-horses to pass. 
Mr. Baskin established a ferry across the Susquehanna 
at the foot of the big island, Haldeman's. The trade at 
that time was carried on entirely by pack horses. When 
the hostile Indians broke in upon the frontier in 1756, 
Mr. Huling left here and went out to Fort Duquesne, 
and afterwards became proprietor of the point where 
Pittsburg now stands. Becoming discontented with his 
situation in that disturbed frontier, he sold out for ^"200, 
and returned to Duncan's island, where he re-established 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 145 

his ferry and made further improvements. A bloody 
fight occurred on the island between the whites and In- 
dians about the year 1760. On one occasion news came 
to Mr. Huling that the Indians were coming down the 
river to attack the settlement. Huling packed up a few 
of his valuables in great haste, and putting his wife and 
child upon a large black horse, Bed to the foot of the 
island, ready to cross over at the first alarm. Thinking 
that perhaps the Indians might not have arrived, he ven- 
tured back alone to the house to try to save more of his 
effects. After carefully reconnoitering the house, he en- 
tered and found an Indian up stairs, coolly picking his 
flint. Stopping some time to parley with the Indian so 
that he might retreat without being shot at, his wife be- 
came alarmed at his long delay; and fearing he had been 
murdered by the Indians, she mounted the black charger, 
with the child on her lap. and swam the Susquehanna. 
This was in the spring when the river was up. Our 
modern matrons would scarcely perform such an achieve- 
ment. Her husband soon arrived and in his turn became 
alarmed at her absence;* but she made a signal to him 
from the: opposite side and relieved her anxiety. 

Mr. Huling arrived safely at Fort Hunter. A Mrs. 
Berryhill got safe to the same place; but her husband was 
killed and scalped. 

"At one time when William Baskins, grand uncle to 
Cornelius and James Baskins, having a crop of grain on 
what is now called Duncan's island, (having, however, 
previously removed his family to Fort Hunter for secu- 
rity) returned with part of the family to cut the grain, and 
while thus engaged, they were suddenly startled by the 
yell or whooping of Indians, who were hard by; how- 
ever, discovering they were neighbors their alarms 
were quieted, but, alas! they were deceived ; for the bar- 
barous savages, as soon as they were near enough, gave 



146 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

them distinctly to understand their object was their 
scalps! At this moment they all fled in consternation, 
hotly pursued, towards the house, and when there, Mr. 
Baskins, in the act of getting his gun, was shot dead and 
scalped ; his wife, a daughter of about seven, and a son 
three years old, were abducted. Mr. McClean, who was 
also in the field, plunged into the river and swam the Juniata 
at what is called "Sheep island," and concealed himself in 
the cleft of rooks, on the opposite side, and thus eluded 
the pursuit of the savages and saved his life. 

"Mrs. Baskins effected her escape from the Indians 
somewhere near Carlisle; the daughter was taken to the 
Miami country, west of the Ohio, then an unbroken wil- 
derness, where she was detained for more than six years, 
when in conformity with a treaty made with the Indians, 
she was delivered up and returned. She was afterwards 
married to Mr. John Smith, whose son James is now re- 
siding in Newport, Perry county, and to whom I am in- 
debted for this interestino- tradition. The lad that was 
taken at the same time, was taken to Canada, where he 
was raised by Sir William Johnson, not knowing the name 
of the boy, when he was baptized by a missionary, was 
christened Timothy Murphy. He was afterwards discov- 
ered by Alexander Stevens, James Stevens' father, who 
1 :s in Juniata township, Perry county, by some pecu- 
liar marks on his head. He has visited his friends in 
Perry. James Smith, his nephew, when at Canada in de- 
fence of his country, during the late war, visited him and 
found him comfortably situated near Maiden, in Upper 
Canada, and the owner of a large estate." 

The present Clark's Ferry, near Duncan's island, was 
called Ouenashawake by the Indians, and the Juniata 
was spelled "Choniata." This ferry was once a great 
fording place — a little above it, at the White Rock, 
on the river side, John Harris had, in 1 y$3, a house and 
some fields cleared, which was complained of by the In- 
dians. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 147 

LINGLESTOWN 

Is one oi the most ancient towns in the county, having 
been laid out as early as the year 1765, by Thomas I. in- 
gle, who called the place St. Thomas. It is located in the 
north-eastern part of Middle Paxton township, on the road 
leading from the Susquehanna river to Jonestown. The 
site is the centre of a highly productive agricultural re- 
gion, and the surrounding scenery is unsurpassable in 
picturesque beauty. The town, owing to its isolated po- 
sition, makes no pretensions as a manufacturing centre. 
In i860 Dr. \V. E. Smith laid out an addition south of the 
town, which is gradually being improved. A handsome 
itery is located near the town, which contains a monu- 
ment twenty-five high erected by the citizens to the mem- 
ory of the dead who Tell in the late civil war. The Boston 
and South Mountain Railroad runs through the town, 
which when completed and in operation will ; 
impetus to the business operations of the pla 

HALIFAX 

Is pi ed on the Susquehanna river, seven- 

teen miles from Harris! , laid out by G< 

ShaefTer and Peter Rise in 1794, but the dccCi was 
recorded by Philip Brindle and [ohn Norton, attor- 
neys for (. Winters cm die 8th of May, 1794. 
It was named a rt Halifax. The town is beauti- 
fully situated in Armstrong's valley, the Wisi 1 ca- 
nal and Northern Central Railroad, passing n it 
and the river. ( )pposite the town is an e kind note d for an 
Indian mound, which accordin^ to Indian tradition 
tains the remains of man)- Ind ans. 



148 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

LYKENS. 

The town of Lykens was laid out by Edward Gratz, 
and surveyed by David Hoffman in 1848. It is situated 
in and is the principal trading centre of Wisconisco town- 
ship. There was a settlement here previous to this 
which increased rapidly in commercial importance upon 
and after the discovery of coal in the vicinity. 

Wisconisco, Williamstown, Baldwin, Gratz, Rockville, 
Coxestown, Berrysburg, Uniontown, Jacksonville, Fish- 
erville, Enders, Enterline, Elizabethville, Williamstown, 
Bachmanville, Union Deposit, Manada Hill, are also im- 
portant towns and villages, whose thrifty and enterpris- 
ing citizens are annually developing new resources and 
addino- to the ao-eregate wealth of the countv. 



APPENDIX. 



In every section of Dauphin county, the one hundreth 
anniversary of American Independence was celebrated 
with a degree of enthusiasm scarcely equaled since In- 
dependence bell "proclaimed liberty throughout all the 
land" in 1776. Nothing was more proper than this out- 
burst of patriotism. It was a just tribute of respect and 
regard for our country — and our county — a suitable ac- 
knowledgment for the virtue, intelligence, good order, 
prosperity and happiness, which have always prevailed 
with us as a people. No county in the Commonwealth 
has been more largely blessed in these respects, none has 
ever existed, whose history in these particulars is more 
bright or honorable. Dauphin county occupies a proud 
position and enjoys an honorable fame. It was right to 
stop at this point in its progress — the termination of the 
first and the commencement of the second century of 
the existence of the National Government — and take a 
survey of it in the past, to review its leading features 
and events, to render appropriate honor to those who 
participated in them, and indulge in the congratulations 
which such a survey is calculated to inspire. 

In the city of Harrisburg, and the boroughs of Lykens, 
Millersburg and Middletown, the celebration embraced 
civic parades, orations and displays of fireworks. The 
parade in Harrisburg was gotten up under the immediate 
auspices of the Odd Fellows and Fire Department, and 
as a local editor remarks, the large number that partici- 
pated, and the completeness of arrangements, has never 
had a parallel in the city. About two hours and a half were 



150 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

consumed in marching over the long route, and atall points 
the procession was warmly greeted by the large crowds 
of people who witnessed the spectacle. The day dawned 
most auspiciously, the sun rising with scarcely a cloud to 
intercept its gleams. The rain of the previous day had 
settled the dust on the streets and put them in excellent 
condition for marching. The city presented a beautiful 
appearance in its patriotic dress, large arches and flags 
spanning the principal streets, and thousands of smaller 
flags waving from windows of private residences and 
other points. The display of bunting was the most ex- 
tensive ever witnessed at the capital of the State, and 
was the subject of much approving comment." 

After the conclusion of the parade a meeting was or- 
ganized in the hall of the House of Representatives for 
the purpose of hearing a number of local addresses 
read. Mr. A. Boyd Hamilton, President of the Dauphin 
County Historical Society, announced that the proceed- 
ings would open with prayer, which was then offered by 
Rev. Dr. Swartz, of the First Lutheran Church. 

Mr. S. D. Ingram read the Declaration of Indepen- 
dence. 

Rev. Dr. Thomas H. Robinson then delivered the fol- 
lowing address: 

THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF 
DAUPHIN COUNTY. 

One hundred years ago the civilized settlements of our 
country were mainly confined to a narrow strip of terri- 
tory along the Atlantic coast. The traveler who ventured 
from the seaside soon found himself approaching the 
boundaries of the white population. Civilization had only 
brightened the eastern edges of our great land, and 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 151 

kindled a fire here and there in the deeper forests. This 
region oi the Susquehanna was, at the time of the revo- 
lution, on the frontier. Through the district of the Cum- 
berland valley, now filled with a population of about two 
hundred and fifty thousand, there was then a scattered 
people not exceeding forty thousand in number. 

A few settlements had been made up "the Susquehanna 
and along its north and west branches, the region of the 
Juniata was opened, and some settlers had crossed the 
Alleghenies on their pack horses, and built their homes 
in the western part of the State. As early indeed as 
1720, traders and settlers were pushing their way out 
into the grand forests along our noble river, and when 
the war of the revolution began there were men enough 
who sprung to arms, to form some of the bravest regi- 
ments of the times. But the country was still primitive, 
and the type of manners and customs of education and 
religion, partook of the characteristics of an early time 
and a hardy race. Dauphin county had not yet been or- 
ganized but was included in Lancaster. 

The man who seeks to comprehend the history of this 
country or any section of it, should know that the Amer- 
ican people at their birth were emphatically a religious 
people. It was largely for religion and its rights that they 
braved the seas and came hither to plant their new gov- 
ernment in this western world. They were not adven- 
turers seckin:>- the excitements of a strange land, or 
speculators in search of an HI Dorado of gold. They 
wanted to serve God freely and intelligent!}', and scarce- 
ly, therefore, was the humble cabin of the original settler 
erected, before the school house and the church were 
built. Education and Christianity were among the first 
necessities. 



152 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Throughout this entire region, from the Alleghenies 
eastward to the Susquehanna, and still eastward to the 
line of the counties adjoining our own, the bulk of the 
earliest settlers were of that class now familiarly known 
as the Scotch-Irish. This people took to the frontiers> 
and in the Indian wars stood as a bulwark of protection 
for the eastern part of the colony. It has only been in 
later years that they have been gradually and peaceably 
displaced by the sturdy and solid Germans. 

It so happened, therefore, from the race of people who 
settled here, that the first churches organized within the 
limits of Dauphin county were Calvinistic. They were 

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES OE DERRY, PAXTON AND 

HANOVER. 

These all date back prior to the year 1730, although 
Hanover had no settled pastor until 1738, when the Rev- 
Richard Sanckey was settled over the church. The first 
pastor of the united churches of Derry and Paxton was 
the Rev. William Bertram, who took charge of them in 
1732. Prior to this last date the people of this region 
were dependent for the preaching of the gospel upon 
the ministers of the churches in the region further east- 
ward. For fully one hundred and twenty years these 
three old churches of Derry, Paxton and Hanover flour- 
ished in their strength, filling up an eventful and honor- 
able history. The old Derry church has the honor of 
being the pioneer church of the county. The venerable 
buildingf, constructed of oak loes two feet thick and cov- 
ered with hemlock boards on the outside, is stili standing. 
It was erected as early as 1720. The congregation that 
worshiped in it lies buried in the ivy grown graveyard 
by its side or in others in distant parts of the land. But 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 153 

one of the three early churches now survives — Paxton. 
The original settlers and their children are gone, and 
the churches of other denominations occupy the ground. 
The first Presbyterian organization within the limits of 
Harrisburg was in 1794, and the first settled pastor was 
the Rev. Nathaniel R. Snowden. At a very early date 
there was a Presbyterian church in Upper Paxton. Its 
building stood on the hill back of the village of Dauphin. 
The leading ministers of the Presbyterian church in this 
county in the past were the Revs. John Elder, John Roan, 
Richard Sanckey and William R. DeWitt, D. D. There 
are now in the county eight churches of the Presbyterian 
order, with two or three mission stations. Five of these 
churches are in the city of Harrisburg. There is now 
a church membership in the Presbyterian churches of 
the county of about 1,400, a Sunday school membership 
of 2,500, sittings in their churches for about 3,500 peo- 
ple. Their Sunday schools number 10. 

THE REFORMED CHURCH. 

The Reformed church was second in date of organiza- 
tion, a church having been started in Derry in the year 
1768. Soon after the laying out of the town of Harris- 
burg in the year 1785, the settlers who were composed 
of several denominations, took measures to build a 
church, and when it was built in 1787, clergymen of dif- 
ferent denominations, by permission, officiated in it. The 
building was, however, owned an occupied regularly by 
the German Reformed and Lutheran congregations. These 
two bodies used it jointly, each, however, electing their 
own church officers, trustees, elders and deacons. 

In 1795 the two churches separated, but continued 
their worship in the same building, until the year 18 14. 



154 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County, 

The building became the exclusive property of the Re- 
formed church in 1816. It was the first church building 
erected in Harrisburg, and stood on the corner of Third 
street and Cherry alley, near the Salem Reformed church 
of the present day. Prior to 1786 the early settlers of 
Harrisburg held divine worship in a one story log school 
house which stood at the foot of capitol hill, on the north 
corner of Third and Walnut streets, which is still stand- 
ing on the south side of Walnut street, between sixth and 
Canal. 

The Rev. Anthony Hautz, of the Reformed church 
was the first settled pastor within the limits of Harris- 
burg, being here from about 1790 to 1797. Eleven pas- 
tors have succeeded him in the care of the church, among 
them the two Helfensteins, Rev. Dr. Zacharias, Rev. Dr. 
J. F. Mesick and Rev. David Cans. The Reformed 
church has grown rapidly since that early day, and has 
now organizations in nearly every township and district 
of the county, having according to some late statement, 
about thirty church organizations and preaching stations, 
and a seating capacity in their church edifices for nearly 
14,000 people. 

THE LUTHERAN CHURCH. 

The Lutheran church was the third in date of organi- 
zation in the county, having begun an enterprise in Hum- 
melstown as early as 1753. In 1787, as already stated, 
the Lutherans of the town of Harrisburg united with the 
members of the Reformed church in erecting and occu- 
pying the first church building in our present city limits. 
In 1814 they withdrew and purchased a lot on Fourth 
street and erected a church edifice of their own, and 
beside it a large two-story brick school house. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin Conn ty. 155 

Their first pastor was the Rev. F. D. Schaeffer, who 
began to preach in and around Harrisburg in 1788. 

Their first stationed pastor was the Rev. Henry Mueller, 
who began his labors in 1795. He has been succeeded 
by a number of earnest and able men, among whom may- 
be named the Lochmans, Rev. Dr. C. W. Schaeffer, Rev. 
Dr. C. A. Hay and Rev. Dr. G. F. Stelling. The Lutheran 
church is progressing rapidly in the county. New church- 
es are being erected; its membership increases ; its Sun- 
day schools are large and flourishing. According to a late 
report there are now thirty-six organizations in the 
county, and room in its church edifices for over ten thou- 
sand people. 

The three bodies, the Presbyterian, the Reformed and 
the Lutheran seem to have been the only religious bodies 
that had any position and regularly organized existence 
in the county prior to the year 1800. 

I Mi: METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

In the summer of 1801 the Rev. William Rose, an 
Irishman, organized some classes and preaching appoint- 
ments for the M. E. Church in the upper end of the 
county, one at Halifax, another at Millersburg, and a 
third up Lykens Valley. Here began the Methodism of 
the county. The first Methodist families in the county 
are said to have been residents of Halifax. Harrisburg 
became, however, a preaching station as early a 1802. 

The Rev. Jacob Gruber, was appointed on the circuit 
as early as 1802 and preached at this point. The first 
society formed in Harrisburg was in 18 10. The present 
fine edifice on State street is the outgrowth of the feeble 
band of 1802. With characteristic zeal and energy this 
church has pushed its conquests until to-day ; it has nearly 



156 HistoiHcal Sketch of Dauphin County. 

or quite 25 organizations in the county, a church mem- 
bership of probably 2,500 to 3,000, about 4,000 children 
in its Sunday schools, and churches that will seat 6,000 
people. 

THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

As early as 1 766, this church had a mission station at 
Estherton, two miles above Harrisburg, as a few families 
of that church were residing there, but no church build- 
ing was erected. It was not until 1826 that a congregation 
was formed in the county, the present St. Stephen's 
church of this city. The congregation worshiped for 
a time in the building already mentioned, on the corner 
of Third street and Cherry alley, which was built by the 
people of the Reformed and Lutheran church. The first 
rector of the church was the Rev. Mr. Clemson. Amone 
his successors have been those who were greatly honor- 
ed in this community. The number of church organiza- 
tions in the county at this date is five. 

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. 

The first congregation organized of this church in the 
county was within the present limits of the city of Har- 
risburg. As early, however, as 18 10, the ground now 
owned by them on Allison's Hill was in their possession, 
and the Jesuit Fathers visited the place and had minis- 
trations. There also was their first graveyard. At a 
later date the property came into the hands of William 
Allison, but in subsequent years was re-acquired by the 
Catholics, and is now held by them. The first church 
edifice erected by them was begun in 1826, under the 
superintendence of the Rev. Michael Curran. It was 
the original of the present pro-Cathedral on State street. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 157 

The Rev. P. Maher was for nearly 35 years the offi- 
ciating- minister of this church, and will be kindly remem- 
bered by persons of all denominations. The present 
bishopric was formed in 1868. The church is in a flour- 
ishing- state, having- a large membership and an excellent 
Sunday school. There are several other organizations 
of this church in the city and county. 

THE BETHEL, OR "CHURCH OF GOD." 

This religious body originated in this county. Its 
founder was the Rev. John Winebrenner, who withdrew 
from the Reformed Church and began a new oro-aniza- 
tion in 1827. Their first church building was erected in 
Mulberry street between Front and Second streets, oc- 
cupying the grounds where now stands the city hospital- 
This church has pushed its work vigorously, and now 
claims some fifteen or sixteen organizations in the county. 
Its energy in the work of Sunday schools is worthy of 
all praise 

BAPTIST AND FREE BAPTIST CHURCHES. 

The Baptist church made its first organization on the 
2d of April, 1830, in a building known as the Unitarian 
Church, which has since passed out of existence with the 
people that built it. The Rev. Dyer A. Nichols was the 
first pastor of the enterprise. There are at present sev- 
eral organizations in the county of the Baptist order, 
about a dozen. Their churches would accommodate 
about 3,000 hearers. 

During the last half century several other Protestant 
denominations have formed churches in the city and 
county and are pushing forward their Christian work 
with great devotion and success. Among them may be 

19 



158 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

mentioned the United Brethren, whose first organization 
in Dauphin county was about 1800. They have now 
38 churches, about 2400 church members; Sunday schools 
with a membership of 2700 scholars and teachers. The 
Evangelical Association, organized about the same time! 
the Wesley Union church about the year 1830. 

Our Jewish brethren have also their synagogues, the 
first of which was formed about 1854. 

How great the contrast between those early days, and 
these would take longer time to depict than is alloted me 
to-day. In 1776 this district, now Dauphin county, had 
within its borders about 10,000 inhabitants. To-day it 
has fully 70,000. In 1776 Harrisburg was but a trading 
post, to-day it is a city of nearly 30,000. In 1776 there 
were three strong country churches — Derry, Paxton and 
Hanover, and a few other preaching stations. To-day 
we have in this city alone over forty churches, and in the 
county between one hundred and fifty and two hundred. 

Moved by a generous rivalry and working in the spirit 
of noble harmony, these Christian Churches have gone 
forth to possess every part of our county and to carry 
the gospel with its light and salvation to every home. 
Not only has this Christian civilization filled our city and 
surrounding villages, and dotted over the whole county 
with these houses of holy worship, but it has given us all 
other needed benevolent institutions. The religious 
bodies, Protestant and Catholic, have kept pace with the 
increasing population and have anticipated it in provid- 
ing the means and the places for religious culture. 

Great as has been the progress of population in the 
country from the year 1776 to the present, it has been 
far outstripped by the growth of the churches. In 1776 
there were less than 1,950 evangelical churches in the 



Historical Sketch oj /hrnp/iiu C ouniy. i 59 

United States; according to the census of 1S70 there 
were then over 72,000. The population in a century in- 
creased only thirteen fold, the churches increased over 
thirty six fold. In 1790 there was one evangelical min- 
ister for every 2,000 of the people, while now there is 
one for about every 700. In 1 790 there were five mem- 
bers of evangelical churches for every 100 of popula- 
tion; there are now eighteen for every 100. 

In 1776 there were no Bible, tract or missionary socie- 
ties; not a single religious newspaper published in the- 
land, nor any house for the publication of religious liter- 
ature, nor even the publication of religious books to any 
extent. Our orphan asylums, schools of reform, Chris- 
tian associations, temperance societies, etc., etc., etc., are 
all of later date. Truly, the Church of God moves onward. 

There are but few districts in our great country that 
are better provided than our own county with the varied 
advantages of intellectual and religious culture. Our 
churches are multiplying. The great body of our peo- 
ple are law-abiding, upright and moral. The Sabbath, 
Bible, the Church and the agencies of Christianity are 
honored amony us. 

When we look back one hundred years and more to 
the days of our fathers and of the early pioneers of this 
region, how changed the aspect. The victories of peace 
have long ago effaced the sad memorials of a war that 
filled many a lowly cabin with horror. The banks of 
this broad and placid stream, where once rang the war- 
whoop of the savage, and where broken families gather- 
ed in groups to mourn over their slaughtered dead, now 
smile with orchards and teeming: harvests and gardens, 
with workshops, and villages, and happy homes. 



160 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Here, where once was carnage, no sounds prevail but 
the hum of industry, of peaceful life and joy. When we 
look upon this beautiful region with its streams and 
mountains, its cultivated farms, its railroads and manu- 
factories, its flourishing towns and villages, its institutions 
of learning and of charity, its multiplied and stately 
church edifices, and all the indications of the social, in- 
tellectual and moral condition of its people, and recall 
that just one hundred years ago our fathers, clad in their 
linsey woolsey or in their buckskin, with their powder 
horns at their side and their flint-lock muskets, were 
pouring forth to join the army of the Revolution, going 
forth from the lowly homes where they had prayed, and 
the churches where they had worshiped to fight in a cause 
that no men understood better than did they, we ask 
ourselves anew, Do we not owe a debt of grateful mem- 
ory to them, and of largest thanksgiving to God, for the 
lives they lived and the work they did for us and for our 
children after us ? Let us not stint our gratitude to the 
men who planted in the wilderness homes where intelli- 
gence and enterprise and religion were all nourished. 

They were men who spared no cost in preparing the 
way for more peaceful and happy times. Let us not 
think lightly of the men who opened out these unbroken 
forests, who broke up the virgin soil of these valleys, 
who reared cabins for Christian households, who taught 
their sons to love freedom, to contend for the right and re- 
vere the God of their fathers. They were no ordinary 
men, they brought here the spirit of liberty fresh and 
warm in their hearts. 

They sought to lay deep and broad the foundation for 
righteous ages after them. They learned their political 
creed as they learned their religion, from the Bible — that 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 161 

Bible which says, "The truth shall make you free." And 
nearly every man of them who was able to bear arms 
and endure a soldier's life, entered into the service of his 
country. And two years before the Declaration of In- 
dependence was proclaimed, the men of this county as- 
sembled June 4, 1774, at Hanover, and among other 
resolutions, passed the following: 

"Resolved, That in the event of Great Britain attempt- 
ing to force unjust laws upon us by strength of arms, 
our cause we leave to heaven and our rifles." . 

We are living in the past to-day. We are recalling 
the eventful times, the thrilling adventures, the heroic 
endurance, the toils and self denials, the services and the 
virtues of our fathers. And we rightly say this large, 
rich present is not what we have made it. These things 
around us are (heir achievement. But now what is to be 
the practical outcome of all that we have, and learn and 
feel to-day? What good is it to have had such fathers 
if we to-day are not worthy of them? 

What glory to us to look back into such a radiant past, 
if we are going to mar all the picture by not imitating 
them and carrying on their work? If they who had so 
little, did so much for truth, for country, for us and for 
( rod, what shall be the measure of our doing who are so 
rich and strong? 

( )ur opportunity of doing good and blessing men are 
to theirs as our railroads to the Indian trails and moun- 
tain bridle paths; as the electric telegraph to the old 
stage coach ; as the modern mower and reaper to the 
old fashioned scythe; as the steam engine to the slow 
moving water wheel; as the mighty trip hammers of our 
steel works to the light blows of some village blacksmith. 



1 62 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

The voices of the past summon us to duty. The men 
who founded school and church within the sound of the 
Indians' war-whoop, charge us to make the future as 
much greater and fairer than the present, as the present 
is richer and greater in all the achievements of art, and 
the blessings of freedom and religion, than the past. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. i6 v 



Mr. A. Boyd Hamilton, of Harrisburg, then delivered 
the following- address : 

HEROES AND PATRIOTS OF DAUPHIN COUN- 
TY ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO. 

Upon an occasion such as this, it is fitting that the 
present should show its appreciative gratitude to those 
whose records form a glorious past. It is the province 
of history to preserve from oblivion recollections of deeds 
whose character made a name and nation. 

With these objects in view, this brief account is pre- 
pared, recalling the memories of those who laid lives and 
fortunes upon the altar of their country, and who con- 
tributed to an uncommon extent personal effort as their 
share to secure that independence, to celebrate which 
has caused us to assemble this day. 

The present Dauphin, then part of Lancaster county, 
presents a remarkable roll of honor, from 1775, when the 
revolution commenced, to its conclusion in 1 783. It com- 
prises of officers alone about 150, and of privates nearly 
2,000 persons. This exceeds in magnitude any contri- 
bution made since that period, from any part of Penn- 
sylvania to the military service of the country. It sug- 
gests a train of thought very gratifying to those whose 
ancestry formed a part of this patriotic band. When it is 
remembered that these soldiers were drawn from a sparse 
population along the borders of the Susquehanna river, 
the Swatara, Beaver, Manada and Wiconisco creeks, the 
aggregate is most surprising. 

These people were engaged at that time, in preparing 
rugged forests for future; cultivation, in the; labor common to 
a frontier life, yet old and young seem to have cheerfully 



1 64 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

forsaken all to follow the fortunes of "a nation that had as 
yet no flag." This day there are more than a million 
"starry banners" floating in this single county. 

No sooner was a call for volunteers issued in 1 775, than 
we find a company formed in Paxton and Derry to march 
"for Boston," soon after to Quebec, having as officers 
and privates Matthew Smith, James Crouch, Richard 
Dixon, Archibald Steele, Michael Simpson, John Joseph 
Henry, John and David Harris, sons of Harris, founder of 
Harrisburg, and other honored names, now seldom re- 
called, but the remembrance of whose valiant deeds, 
hardy endurance, and patriotic sacrifices should never be 
forgotten by a grateful people. 

The sergeant, Dixon, of "Dixon Ford," on the Swa- 
tara, and John Harris, Harris Ferry, never returned from 
the campaign to and assault on Quebec. One of them, 
certainly, was killed there — the exact fate of the latter is 
quite uncertain. Alexander Nelson of Derry was also 
killed in this assault* 

*Note. — It has been a work of patience and research to recover so much 
of the roll of Smith's brave men as is herewith presented. It is thought all 
that marched from the present Dauphin county are embraced in it. I do not 
think it possible to recover a complete list of the company. It was 87 strong, 
and all of them from the then, Lancaster county. This roll names 4s of them. 
Who were the other 39? No papers of Smith, Steel, Simpson or Cross, arc 
known. Indeed almost all we' know of that celebrated event, or of the heroic 
men who formed its ranks, is found in the memoir of it by Judge Henry — a 
l> finite soldier. 

Lieutenant Michael Simpson commanded, under an order of Gen. Arnold, 
the company in the assault on Quebec. Captain Smith was sick at Isle Or- 
leans. An excellent memoir of Gen. Simpson, prepared by George W. Har- 
ris, Esq., has been published since the foregoing address was delivered. 

OFFICERS AND PRIVATES. 

Captain — Matthew Smith, Paxton. 

1st Lieut. — Archibald Steel, Donegal. 

2d Lieut. — Michael Simpson, Paxton, commanded in the assault. 

3d Lieut. — William Cross, Hanover. 

Boyd, Thomas, Sergeant, Derry, afterwards Captain-Lieutenant 1st P. M. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 1 65 

It will be impossible in the brief compass to which this 
must be confined, to do more than refer to the services 
of those who were subsequently soldiers, afterward, hon- 
ored and useful citizens of Dauphin county. A recital 
of the names of most of them is all that can possibly be 
presented. 

Of the considerable number of active officers resident 
in our own and the present Lebanon county, after 1785, 
the year of the formation of Dauphin county, very little 
is known of themselves or families. The memories of 
the brave privates it is impossible to recover. The fe- 
verish migrations previous to 1820 and of several subse 

Binnagle, Curtis, Londonderry. 

Bollinger, Emanuel, resided in Dauphin county in 1813. 

Black, .lames, Hanover. 

Black, John, Upper Paxton. 

Cavenaugh, Edward, resided in York county. "Honest Ned,'' of Judge 
Henry. 

Carbach, Peter, enlisted in J. P. Scott's Co. March 12, 1777, afterwards 
in (apt. Selin's, discharged at Lancaster in 1783. Resided in Dearborn 
county, Indiana, in 1830. 

Conner, Timothy, Bethel. 

Crouch, James, Paxton, afterwards a Colonel. 

Cochran, Samuel, Paxton, afterwards a Captain of militia 1781. 

Crow, Henry, died in Derry. 

Cunningham, Robert, Londonderry, died at Lancaster of disease con- 
tracted in prison, soon after his return. 

Dougherty, James, Londonderry, captured at Quebec, and put in h-ons 
eight weeks. Enlisted afterwards in 12th Penn. 

Dixon, Robert, Sergeant, killed in front of (Quebec, Nov. 17, 1775. Be- 
louged to West Hanover. 

Dixon, Richard, Dixon's Ford. 

Dean, Samuel, served one year, then appointed Lieutenant in Col. Hart's 
regiment, Flying camp. Subsequently 1st Lieutenant 11th Pa. 

Adam Egle, wagon-master at Cambridge, Col. Thompson's regiment. 
Was in Smith's recruits, from Lebanon township. 

Feely, Timothy, Dixon Ford. 

Griffith John, Harris Ferry. 

Harris, John, Harris Ferry, killed at Quebec. 

Harris, David, Harris Ferry. 

Henry, John Joseph, Lancaster, died at Harrisburg. 

20 



1 66 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

quent years, dispersed families in localities distant from 
each other. The loss of home scattered their records and 
weakened their family ties. Indifference to ancestry, to 
private position, or public affairs seems to have charac- 
terized the emigrants from this charming region, to a land 
supposed to be more fruitful still, beyond the Allegheny 
mountains. All are aware that the life of a border settler 
is not conducive to the preservation of records, or of 
placing in indestructible form accounts of current affairs; 
and thus it has happened that many things this genera- 
tion would like to know, are buried so deep in the abyss 
of oblivion, that it will be the merest accident, if they are 
ever rescued. Perhaps the imperfect information I pre- 



Keunedy John, Hanover. 

Marshall, Lawrence, Hanover. 

McGranaghan Charles, Londonderry. 

Merchant, George, Donegal. 

McEnally, Henry, Londonderry. 

McKonkey, John, Hanover. 

Mellen, Atchison, resided in Lycoming comity in 1813. 

Nilson, Alexander, Deny, killed in front of Quebec, Jan. 1, 1770. 

Old, James, Deny. 

Porterfield, Charles, Hanover. 

Ryan, John, Deny. 

Simpson, William, Paxton, wounded August 27, 1775, brother of Gen. 
Michael Simpson. 

Sparrow, William, Deny. 

Shaeffer, John, drummer, resided in Lancaster in 1809. 

Smith, Samuel, Paxton. 

Taylor, Henry, captured 31st December, 1775; returned 10th Novem- 
ber, 177(i. 

Tidd, [Todd,] John, of Hanover. 

Teeder, Michael, re-enlisted in 5th Penn. 

Warner, James, died in the wilderness near Chaudiere lake. — Henry, 
p. 198. 

Wheeler. , [uncertain, from Paxton.] 

Weirick, Valentine, Hanover, resided in Dauphin county in 1813. 

Waun, Michael, Deny. 
Nilson [Nelson probably] and Waun did not return. The former was 
killed in the assault. The other died at the "crossing of the Chaudiere." 
Thus Dixon, Harris and Nilson were killed in the battle. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 167 

sent is as complete a record as can be gathered at this 
date, and is the only statement in a permanent form that 
has ever been collected. If for no other, this is a good 
reason for its preservation. In only one or two instances, 
has it appeared that the evils of ignorance, poverty, or 
vice, have overtaken any of the race of these noble 
fathers. 

With these preliminary observations, the subject will 
be taken up based upon a list of names prepared by and 
contained in a circular issued by the Dauphin County 
Historical Society in May last, and with such other infor- 
mation as has since come to the knowledge of that or- 
ganization. 

A great majority of those who served from Pax ton, 
Derry, Hanover, Upper Paxton and Londonderry, the 
townships into which the upper part of Lancaster county 
was divided in 1774, were styled "associators," officered 
by those of their own choice, and serving short terms of 
duty as called upon by the supreme executive council. 
Many of them as early as the first year of the contest, en- 
tered the Pennsylvania line composed of thirteen regi- 
ments, enlisted for a term of three years. Whenever it 
has been possible to separate those who served as asso- 
ciators from those who were continental officers, it has 
been done. 

In a few instances, company rolls have been recovered, 
but all search has been ineffectual in securing any num- 
ber of them. We know that Boyd, Wallace, Morrison 
Hays, McKnight, Wilson, McKee, Armstrong, McClure, 
Fleming, Pen net, Cochran, and other familiar names 
marched with Col. Timothy Greene, whilst Forster, 
Rutherford, Harris, Carson, Elder, Gray, McElhenny, 
Crawford, Gilchrist, Montgomery, McFarlane, Espy, and 



1 68 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

so on, marched under Cowden, Murray or Crouch. 
Happily the information respecting the following who 
in 1776, or afterwards, citizens of Dauphin county is pre- 
cise, and authentic as to dates and services. 

Matthew Smith, June 25, 1775, captain in Col. William 
Thompson's Rifle regiment, which afterwards became the 
1st Pennsylvania of the line, Col. Hand; promoted major 
in 9th Pennsylvania December 1, 1776; Vice President 
Executive Council, October 11, 1779; prothonotary of 
Northumberland county, Feb. 4, 1780-83. Died at Mil- 
ton, 1794; buried at Warrior's Run. 

Archibald Steel, 1st lieutenant in Smith's company 
June 25, 1775; wounded at Quebec, losing two fingers ; 
captured December 31, 1775; carried on the rolls as 
lieutenant of 1st Pennsylvania. In service 57 years. 
Dying commander of the Frankford arsenal, aged 97, 
October 19, 1832. Buried at Philadelphia. 

Michael Simpson, 2d lieutenant in Smith's company 
June 25, 1775; promoted captain of 1st Pennsylvania 
December 1, 1776; relieved from service January 1, 
1 78 1. Died June 1, 181 3. Buried at Paxton, aged 65 years. 

William Cross, 2d lieutenant in Col. Moylan's cavalry 
regiment ; July 3, 1777, promoted captain 4th Pennsylva- 
nia regiment. Buried at Hanover, Dauphin county. 

John Joseph Henry, private in Smith's company. (See 
his memoirs.) Died April 15, 181 1. 

John Hamilton, captain of volunteer unattached caval- 
ry, December, 1776; marched to the relief of Washing- 
ton before the battle of Trenton ; again called out in 
1778. Died and is buried at Harrisburg 1793, aged 43 
years. 

Alexander Graydon, captured January 5, 1776; 3d 
Pennsylvania battalion, Col. Shee; taken November 16, 



Histoi'ical Sketch of Dauphin County. 169 

1776, at Fort Washington ; exchanged April 15, 1778. 
Died at Philadelphia, May 2, 1818, aged 67. (See his 
memoir.) 

John Harris, commissioned captain of 1 2th Pennsylva- 
nia, Col. Wm. Cook, October 14, 1776. Founder of 
Harrisburg. Died July 29, 1 79 1 . Buried at Paxton, aged 
65 years. 

Dr. Robert Harris, Nov. 1, 1 777, commissioned sur- 
geon's mate of 2d Pennsylvania regiment of the line. 
Died March 4, 1785, at Blue Ball tavern, Tredyfferin 
township, in Chester county, of an attack of quinsy, on 
his way from Philadelphia. 

James Crouch died an aged man, at Walnut Hill, near 
Middletown, May 24, 1 794 ; had been at Quebec, Prince- 
ton, Monmouth, Germantown, and rose from a private at 
Quebec, to be colonel of one of the Pennsylvania regi- 
ments. He is buried at Paxton. 

John Stoner, appointed lieutenant of Capt. John Mur- 
ray's company, Col. Miles' regiment, March 15, 1776; 
promoted captain 10th Pennsylvania regiment, Decem- 
ber 4, 1776. Died at Harrisburg March 24, 1825, 
aged 7 j. 

Andrew Lee, died June 30, 1821, aged 80 years. Na- 
tive of Paxton. Buried at Hanover, Luzerne county. 

Ambrose Crain enlisted as a private in Capt. John 
Marshall's company, Col. Miles' regiment; promoted 
quartermaster sergeant July 1 5, 1 776, and in April, 1 yyy, 
second Lieutenant of Capt. Anderson's company, Col. 
Stewart's 10th Pennsylvania. Buried at Hanover. 

Adam Boyd, second lieutenant on the armed ship 
Burke, Jan. 23, 1776; promoted to first lieutenant Octo- 
ber 4, 1776; honorably discharged July 16, 1777; lieu- 
tenant in the Northampton county contingent August, 



i 70 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

1 777, at Brandywine, Germantown to Yorktown. Died 
May, 1 81 4, aged 68 years, and is buried at Harrisburg. 

John Murray, captain, Col. Miles' regiment, March 7, 
1776; promoted major April 18, 1777; lieutenant colo- 
nel of 2d Pennsylvania regiment in 1780; relieved from 
service January 1, 1781 ; died in Chillisquaque township, 
Northumberland county. His company was from Upper 
Paxton and nearly used up at Long Island December 27, 
1776. 

Andrew Forrest, second lieutenant Captain Graydon's 
company, 3d Pennsylvania battery; captured November 
16, 1776, at Fort Washington; exchanged October 25, 
1780. A physician and long resident of Harrisburg. 
Died at Danville 181 5. 

Captain John Brisban, commissioned January 5, 1776, 
2d Pennsylvania battery, Col. Arthur St. Clair; served 
one year, died March 13, 1822, aged 91; buried at Paxton. 

David Harris, second son of John the founder, was an 
officer early in the contest — rose to be a major, removed 
to and died at Baltimore. 

Capt. John Marshall's company, Col. Miles' regiment, 
was raised in Hanover; his lieutenants were John Clark, 
Thomas Gourley and Stephen Hanna. This fine com- 
pany was nearly destroyed at the battle of Long Island, 
August 27, 1776. 

Samuel Weir, commissioned second lieutenant 1777, 
had served at Princeton previously, and was an officer at 
Germantown and Yorktown. Died 1820, aged 76 years, 
and buried at Harrisburg. 

Archibald McAllister, commissioned second lieutenant 
July, 1776; served at Monmouth, Princeton to Yorktown. 
Died at Fort Hunter, an historical spot in the border wars 
from 1 750 to 1 768. Died at and is buried at Fort Hunter. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 1 7 1 

James Cowden, a native of Paxton, Dauphin county ; 
colonel of Associators. Died in the house in which he 
was born October 10, 18 10, aged jt> years. Buried at 
Paxton church yard. 

The law relative to "Associators" was a very strict one. 
It was provided that an officer so forgetful of his position 
as to use profane language was held to pay a fine of five 
shillings for each oath; a private was fined for a like of- 
fence one shilling and "further punishment." Thus in- 
dulgence in profanity was a costly luxury. 

An officer guilty of drunkenness was visited with ex- 
pulsion and reduction to the ranks; a private fined and 
"further punishment." 

All landlords were forbidden to distress Associators un- 
der pain of punishment, the grade of which the councils 
wisely, as it seems to us, did not name. We have met 
with no instance of this threat being executed. 

Non-associators were compelled to pay a tax, gener- 
ally of three dollars, twice a year to the State. It was 
collected with unusual severity. 

The patriotism of the "Associators" was encouraged 
by stirring addresses from the brave and brilliant men 
who were at the head of the movement — those who were 
to crive enduring form to institutions which exist to this 
day. One example is given, an eloquent and inspiring 
appeal to Pennsylvania, from those who assembled in 
June, 1776, to form a State constitution. No State paper 
before or during this contest of arms that followed, 
breathes more lofty sentiments, purer patriotism or in- 
tense love of freedom, than this. For these reasons it is 
quoted at length. It will bear perusal now with as lively 
admiration as it did one hundred years ago. 



i 7 2 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

TO THE ASSOCIATORS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 

Gentlemen : — The only design of our meeting together was 
to put an end to our own power in the Province, by fixing 
upon a plan for calling for a convention, to form a govern- 
ment under the authority of the people. But the sudden 
and unexpected separation of the late assembly has com- 
pelled us to undertake the execution of a resolve of Con- 
gress, for calling forth 4,500 of the militia of the Province, 
to join the militia of the neighboring Colonies, to form a 
camp for our immediate protection. We presume only 
to recommend the plan we have formed to you, trusting 
that in a case of so much consequence, your love of vir- 
tue and zeal for liberty, will supply the want of authority 
delegated to us expressly for that purpose. 

We need not remind you that you are now furnished 
with new motives to animate and support your courage. 

You are not about to contend against the power of 
Great Britain, in order to displace one set of villains to 
make room for another. Your arms will not be ener- 
vated in the day of battle with the reflection, that you are 
to risk your lives or shed your blood for a British tyrant; 
or that your posterity will have your work to do over 
again. 

You are about to contend for permanent freedom, to 
be supported by a government which will be derived 
from yourselves, and which will have for its object, 
not the emolument of one man or class of men only, 
but the safety, liberty and happiness of every indi- 
vidual in the community. We call upon you there- 
fore by the respect and obedience, which are due to 
the authority of the United Colonies, to concur in this 
important measure. The present campaign will proba- 
bly decide the fate of America. It is now in your power to 
immortalize your names, by mingling your achievements 
with the events of the year 1776 — a year which we hope 
will be famed in the annals of history to the end of time, 
for establishing upon a lasting foundation the liberties of 
one quarter of the globe. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 173 

Remember the honor of our colony is at stake. Should 
you desert the common cause at the present juncture, 
the glory you have acquired by your former exertions of 
strength and virtue will be tarnished: and our friends and 
brethren who are now acquiring laurels in the most re- 
mote parts of America, will reproach us and blush to own 
themselves natives or inhabitants of Pennsylvania. 

But there are other motives before you. Your houses, 
your fields, the legacies of your ancestors, or the dearly 
bought fruits of your own industry, and your liberty, now 
urge you to the field. These cannot plead with you in 
vain, or we might point out to you further your wives, 
your children, your aged fathers and mothers who now 
look up to you for aid, and hope for salvation in this day 
of calamity only from the instrumentality of your swords. 

Remember the name of Pennsylvania! — Think of your 
ancestors and your posterity. 

Signed by an unanimous order of the Conference. 

Thomas M'Kean, President. 

June 25, 1776. 

Powder was scarce and many persons set to making it, 
under the principal direction of Dr. Robert Harris, of 
Donegal, afterwards a surgeon in the line. Muskets 
and their fixtures were still more difficult to obtain; the 
material and skill, however, was at hand to manufacture 
them. A large trade was created in their manufacture 
at Lancaster, and one or two other points in what is at 
present our territory. Their cost was about nine pounds, 
or in the currency of that day twenty-five dollars. Judge 
John Joseph Henry was an apprentice at this handicraft 
when he ran off to fight against Quebec. He afterwards 
was the first law judge of Dauphin county. 

During the first years of the war letters are preserved 

addressed to the "Lancaster Committee," from officers of 

the Association, stating that certain privates about Swa- 

21 



174 Historical Sketch of Dauphin Cotmty. 

tara were gunsmiths — mostly apprentices — and request- 
ing their excuse from "duty." In no case was such a 
request declined; often as it proved, to the great mortifi- 
cation of the youth whose ambition it was to distinguish 
himself as a defender of his country. Judge Henry, 
Captain Shearer and Ensign Young, are prominent ex- 
amples of this feeling. 

The first formal call upon the Associators was in June, 
1775, although in January a notice of such intention was 
promulgated to the "Lieutenants" of the counties. The 
number demanded of Lancaster county was 600 men, of 
which Paxton, Derry, Hanover, Upper Paxton and Lon- 
donderry were to furnish about one-half. There arose the 
usual dispute about rank amongst those who had held 
commands in the provincial service. This among the 
Paxton boys, was carried on in the fractious fashion of 
the race. It ended so far as our relation is concerned, 
in the retirement of Col. James Burd, the senior colonel 
of the provincial troops, and in turning over his com- 
mand to Majors Cornelius Cox, of Estherton, and James 
Crouch, of Middletown. 

These gentlemen had a great deal of trouble, ere they 
were able to get their forces in marching condition. 
It occupied the attention of Rev. Mr. Elder, still a lieu- 
tenant colonel in the provincial service, Capt. Joseph 
Shearer, Capt. John Harris, Capt. Robert Elder, after- 
wards a lieutenant colonel, Lieutentant William Young 
and Ensigns Samuel Berryhill, Thomas Forster, Jacob 
Snyder and William Steel, the whole of a wearisome 
summer, to get these heroes in good humor. However, 
they did get to the field of conflict, and no complaint has 
ever been heard that they were not valiant, as well as 
obedient soldiers. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County 



n? 



At one period or other, besides the officers already 
mentioned, the following served : 



James Cowden, 
Timothy Greene, 

Robert Elder, 

Cornelius Cox, 
John Rogers, 
Abram Latschall, 
John Gilchrist, Jr., 
Anthony McCi eight, 

.lames Rogers, 
Patrick Hayes, 
Jas. McCreight, 
John Hartenrider. 
Daniel Bradley, 
Samuel Cochran, 
Michael Brown. Jr., 
William Allen, 
George Lauer, 
Robert M'Callen, 
Jonathan M'Clure, 
William M'Clure, Jr., 
William Murray, 

Matthew Gilchrist, 
William Hill, 
Adam Mark, 
I 'astle Bye is, 
William Harnett. 
John Bakestose, 
William Patterson, 
John Ryan, 
George Clark, 
William Montgomery, 
John Matthews, 
John Chesney, 
John Hallebaugh, 
I >;iniel Hoffman, 
Joseph Smith, 
Thomas Sturgeon, 
William M" Milieu. 



COLONELS. 

I James Crawford, 
I James Crouch. 

I,l EUTENANT COLONELS. 

| Peter Hetericks. 

MAJOKS. 

James Stewart, and perhaps others in 
these grades, the officers of which 
were continually being (hanged by 
Congress or the Council. 



A.INS. 

Martin Weaver, 
Andrew Stewart, 
Geo. M' Milieu, 
Hugh Robertson, 
William Johnson, 
William Laird, 
John Kean, the elder. 
Thomas Koppenheffer, 
Benjamin Snodgrass, 
James Sayer, 
Michael Whitley, 
Frederick Hummel, founder of 
town of Hummelstown. 



the 



LIEUTENANTS. 



Michael Linnes, 
George Clark, 
Emanuel Ferree, 

Robert M'Kee, Upper Paxton, pro- 
moted to a majority 1779, 
John Barrett, 
John M'Farland, 
Jacob Latchsar, 
Peter Brightbel. 
John Weaver, 
Jacob Gibbins, 
Robert Martin, 
James Wilson, Deny. 
Henry WCormiek, 
Balzer Bomgardner, 
Andrew Rogers. 



John Hvi'isole, 
Jacob Pruder, 
William Branden, 
James Johnson, 
Baltzer Stone, 
John Brown, Jr.. 
Daniel Stover, 
William Stewart. 
I George Taylor, 
James Reed, 



William Lochrey, 
George Treebaugh, 
Jonathan Woodside, 
Daniel Hoffman, 
James Wallace. 
Robert Greenley, 
Henry Graham. 
John Weaver. 
Jacob Stein, 
George Killinger. 



[J 6 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Many of those present who hear or read this, will find 
an ancestral name among" those who form the foregoing- 
patriotic roll of honor. Very complete notices of Col. 
Greene, and Rev. Mr. Elder are to be found in printed 
publications, to which you are referred. 

Interesting particulars of them could be recited, but 
the bounds set to this address is limited and all that is left 
for us to do is to recall the memories of the fragrant past. 

Several of the very earliest settlers, lotholders in Har- 
risburg, 1785, were men of the revolution — lived long- 
enough to see the village of Harris Ferry — four years 
Louisburg — then Harrisburg — well equipped for its on- 
ward progress to a prosperous and populous communi- 
ty. A few moments devoted to them will close this epi- 
sode, so interesting in the history of a border land before 
Dauphin county existed. 

These men, Alexander Graydon, our first prothono- 
tary; James Sayer, who was at Germantownand Chadd's 
Ford with Samuel Weir and John Stoner — Adam Boyd, 
who had served as an officer in the fight at Chadd's Ford, 
Germantown and Yorktown — Andrew Mitchel who had 
served four years from Monmouth to Yorktown — John 
Hamilton, a cavalry officer at Trenton — John Kean, the 
younger, at Yorktown — Andrew Forrest, an officer who 
was "in everything," as he expressed it, from Trenton to 
Yorktown, and Thomas Forster of Paxton. 

To the names of these excellent fathers, must be added 
those of William Graydon, Joseph, Hugh and John Mont- 
gomery, Andrew Gregg, William Murray, Jacob Awl, 
Conrad Bombaugh, John Hoge, Samuel Grimes (Gra- 
ham,) Wendel Hipsman, George Hoyer, William Glass, 
William Milham, and perhaps others of whom we are un- 
certain, all very early residents of Harrisburg having 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 17; 

served for long or short periods during the revolution. 
William Maclay, one of the first United States Senators 
from Pennsylvania, was a provincial officer and also one 
in the revolution. Andrew Lee, long- a respected citizen, 
was at Yorktown, with Joshua Elder, 

Most of these gentlemen had been officers during the 
revolutionary contest, and many of them held high mili- 
tary rank after the revolution. Especial pains was taken 
to secure their experience in the Whisky insurrection, and 
in the militia organizations of which they were the lead- 
ing spirits. May we all cherish the boon of freedom they 
were so instrumental in securing, before they laid 

••Mortality's raiment softly aside.'" 



179 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County 



William H. Hole, M. D., delivered the following ad- 
dress : 

HISTORICAL REVIEW OE DAUPHIN COUNTY. 

At what eventful era the footsteps of the white man 
trod the green sward of this locality there is no certain- 
ty, but from the description of Capt. John Smith, of the 
Virginia Company, who ascended the Susquehanna as far 
as the Great Falls (Conewago,) there can be no doubt some 
of his hardy adventurers explored the country as far as 
the first range of the Kittochtinny hills. At that period 
(1608,) the brave Susquehannas reigned here — they 
yielding subsequently to the conquering Iroquois. Fi- 
nally (1695-8,) the Shawanese, from the Carolinas, 
driven from thence by the Catawbas, located at the 
mouths of the different tributaries of the great river, as 
high up as the Forks of the Susquehanna. 

Although, after the founding of Philadelphia, William 
Penn planned the laying out of a city on the Susque- 
hanna, it is not certain that the Founder, in his several 
visits to our majestic river, ever came farther north than 
the Swatara. The first persons to spy out this goodly 
heritage of ours were French traders, one of whom lo- 
cated at the mouth of Paxtang creek, towards the close of 
the seventeenth century. Of this individual, Peter Beza- 
lion, little is known, but until the period, when the in- 
trigues of the French and especially the encroachments 
of Lord Baltimore began to be feared, he acted as chief 
interpreter at the principal Indian conferences. He sub- 
sequently went to the Ohio, as also the other French 
traders, and after 1725-6 he is lost sight of. At this pe- 
riod there were Indian villages at Conestoga, at Conoy, 



i8o Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

at the mouth of the Swahadowry (Swatara,) Peshtank 
(Paxtang,) Conedoguinet, and Calapascink (Yellow 
Breeches.) The Cartlidges were located at Conestoga, 
after the removal of the Le Torts, Bezalion at Paxtane, 
and Chartier at the village opposite, while roving traders 
supplied the other Indian towns. 

It becoming- absolutely necessary to license English 
traders so as to prevent communication with the French 
on the Ohio, among the first was John Harris, who per- 
chance entered this then lucrative field, the Indian trade, 
at the suggestion of his most intimate friend, Edward 
Shippen, Provincial Secretary. 

Of the John Harris, who thus located permanently at 
Harrisburg, and who gave the name to our city, it may 
not be inappropriate to refer. "He was as honest a man 
as ever broke bread," was the high eulogium pronounced 
by Parson Elder, of blessed memory, as he spoke of the 
pioneer in after years. Born in the county of Yorkshire, 
England, although of Welsh descent, about the year 
1673, he was brought up in the trade of his father, that 
of a brewer. Leaving his home on reaching his majori- 
ty, he worked at his calling some time in the city of Lon- 
don, where he joined, a few years afterwards, a company 
from his native district, who emigrated to Pennsylvania 
two or three years prior to Penn's second visit to his 
Province. Watson states that John Harris' "entire 
capital amounted to only sixteen guineas." 

We first hear of him after his arrival in Philadelphia as 
a contractor for clearing and grading the streets of that 
ancient village. In 1 698 his name is appended to a re- 
monstrance to the Provincial Assembly against the pass- 
age of an act disallowing the franchise to all persons 
owning real estate less in value than fifty pounds. The 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 181 

memorial had its effect, and the objectionable law was re- 
pealed. By letters of introduction to Edward Shippen, 
the first mayor of Philadelphia, that distinguished gentle- 
man became his steadfast friend, and through his influ- 
ence, no doubt, were secured those favors which induced 
him eventually to become the first permanent settler in 
this locality. 

In January, 1705, John Harris received his license from 
the Commissioners of Property, authorizing- and allowing 
him to "seat himself on the Sasquahannah," and "to erect 
such buildings as are necessary for his trade, and to en 
close and improve such quantities of land as he shall think 
fit." At once he set about building a log house near the 
Ganawese (Conoy) settlement, but the Indians made 
complaint to the government that it made them "un- 
easie," desiring to know if they encouraged it. As in nu- 
merous instances when the Provincial authorities were 
taken to task, they disavowed their own acts. Neverthe- 
less, the "trader" continued his avocation, making fre- 
quent visits to the Shawanese villages at the Conewago 
and Swatara. It is doubtful if John Harris came farther 
west until after the permanent removal of all the FYench 
traders. 

It was during one of his expeditions that Harris first 
beheld the beauty and advantages of the location at Pax- 
tang. It was the best fording place on the Susquehanna, 
and then, as now in these later days, on the great high- 
way between the North and South, the P^ast and the 
\\"<st. Annually the chiefs of the Five Nations went to 
the Carolinas, where were located their vast hunting- 
grounds, and these, returning with peltries, found need 
of a trading post. The eye of that hardy pioneer, look- 
ing out over the vast expanse of wood, and plain, and 

22 



i 8 2 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

river, saw and knew that it was the place for the realiza- 
tion of that fond dream of the founder of Pennsylvania, 
the great and good Penn — "a city on the Susquehanna." 
At the period referred to, the lands lying between the 
Conewago or Lechay Hills, and the Kittochtinny or Blue 
Mountains, had not been purchased from the Indians. 
Of course neither John Harris nor the Scotch-Irish set- 
tlers could locate except by the right of squatter sover- 
eignty or as licensed traders. As a trader, it could only 
be with the permission of the Indians. 

Harris' first move was the erection of a store-house, 
which he surrounded by a stockade. It was located on 
the lower bank of the river, at about what is now the foot, 
of Paxtang street. A well dug by him still exists, al- 
though covered over about twenty-five years ago, the old 
pump stock having become useless and the platform dan- 
gerous. A mound or hillock about one hundred feet 
south-east of the graveyard denotes the spot. "For al- 
most a century," in the language of the present David 
Harris, "this well supplied a large neighborhood with 
water, which was exceedingly cool and pleasant to the 
taste." Adjoining his cabin were sheds for the housing 
of peltries obtained by traffic, which at stated periods, 
were conveyed to Philadelphia on pack horses. 

About the year 1718 or '19, an incident took place in 
the life of John Harris which has received all sorts of ver- 
sions, and even doubts of its truthfulness. We shall give 
it as we believe it, and as traditionary and other facts in 
our possession supply the material therefor. All the 
French traders having "gone over Sasquahannah," John 
Harris monopolized the business at Paxtang. In glanc- 
ing over the records of the Province of Pennsylvania, fre- 
quent allusions are made to the excursions of the north- 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 183 

cni Indians, either to hunting grounds in the South or to 
a conflict with a deadly foe. At one time the Ononda- 
goes, on a predatory excursion against the Talapoosas, 
in Virginia, descending- the Susquehanna, left their ca- 
noes at Harris', proceeding thence to the scene of strife. 
Situated as he was, at the best ford on the river, he com- 
manded an extensive trade. His Indian neighbors 
(Shawanese) were very friendly, and of course would not 
allow any strange or predatory bands to molest him. 
The deadly foe of the red race is Rum, and although the 
selling of it was expressly forbidden by the Provincial au- 
thorities, yet there was scarcely a treaty or conference 
without this potion being a part of the presents made by 
the refined white man to his ignorant red brother. Of a 
consequence liquor was sold, and we are told by Conrad 
Weiser that on one occasion "on the Sasquahannah," the 
Indians whom he was conducting to Philadelphia became 
so drunk that he was fearful of them and left them. At 
the period first referred to, it seems, a predatory band of 
Indians, on returning- from the Carolinas, or the "Patow- 
mack," naturally halted at John Harris'. In exchanging 
part of their goods, probably rum — for this seems to have 
been the principal beverage drunk at that period — was 
one of the articles in barter. At least we have it by tra- 
dition that the Indians became riotous in their drunken 
revelry, and demanding more rum, were refused by Mr. 
I larris, who began to tear harm from his visitors. 
Not to be denied, they again demanded liquor, and seiz- 
ing him, they took him to a tree near by. binding him 
thereto. After helping themselves to whatever they 
wanted of his stores, they danced around the unhappy 
captive, who no doubt thought his death was nigh. 

Prior to this, the Indian village of Paxtang had been 
deserted, and the inhabitants removed to the west side 



184 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

of the Susquehanna. On the bluff opposite John Har- 
ris', as also at the mouth of the Yellow Breeches, there 
were lodges of Shawanese, and these held our Indian 
trader in high esteem. Information was taken them by 
Mr. Harris' negro servant, when at once were sum- 
moned the warriors, who crossed the river, where, after a 
slight struggle with the drunken Indians, they rescued 
from a death of torture their white friend. 

x^l though no mention of these facts is made in the 
Provincial records, there may possibly have been good 
reason therefor, and it is well known that many inci- 
dents, well authenticated in later years, have not been 
noted in the documents referred to. By tradition and 
private sources alone are they preserved trom oblivion. 
It was no myth, this attempt to burn John Harris, and al- 
though the pen and pencil have joined in making there- 
from a romance, and heightened it with man)' a gaudy 
coloring, yet accurate resources have furnished us with 
the details here o-iven. 



& 



The remains of this tree, which in the memory of the 
oldest inhabitant bore fruit, stands within the enclosure 
at Harris park, a striking memento of that thrilling inci- 
dent, and in this place and in this connection we propose 
to erect a substantial monument to the memory of that 
brave pioneer, that as the years roll on and that old 
stump crumbles into dust something may tell that story 
of frontier times. Let subscriptions of one dollar each 
be the limit, and 2,500 or 3,000 persons in a city of 30,- 
000 can readily be found with patriotism enough in their 
bosoms to contribute to this laudable design. Before 
the year closes I can assure my hearers, that the monu- 
ment to the memory of those who fell in the war for the 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin C 'aunty. i 85 

Union will be completed. After that, the duty for which 
I speak will properly suggest itself. 

Harris' trade with the Indians continued to increase, 
and Harris Ferry became known far and wide, not only 
to the red men, but to the white race in foreign coun- 
tries. 

During John Harris' frequent visits to Philadel- 
phia he met at the house of his friend Shippen, Miss Es- 
ther Saw like himself not over young, from his native 
Yorkshire, and in the latter part of the year 1720 mar- 
ried her. The wedding took place either at the Swedes 
Church, Wicaco, or at Christ Church, both being mem- 
bers of the Church of England. Among the early colo- 
nists who settled in Philadelphia were a number of the 
name of Say, but to which family Esther Harris was con- 
nected is not to be ascertained with certainty. She was 
kinswoman to the Shippens, and of course respectably 
connected. A remarkable woman, she was also well cal- 
culated to share the love, the trials, the hardships and the 
cabin of the intrepid pioneer. 

In 1721-22 their first child, Elizabeth, was born; in 
1725 their second, Esther Harris, and in October, 1727, 
their first son, John Harris. This was the founder of 
Harrisburg. The statement that he was the first white 
male child born west of the Conewago Hills is not cor- 
rect. There were settlers beyond, along the Swatara, as 
early as 1718; and it is natural to suppose that in many 
a log cabin the sunshine of boyhood gladdened the hearts 
of the hardy pioneer, and who also attained mature age. 
The parents carried their child when nearly a year old to 
Philadelphia, when- he was baptized on the 221! of Sep- 
tember, 172S, as they had previously done with their 
other children. That of Esther Harris took place An 



i (S 6 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

gust 31, 1726, according to the parish register of Christ 
Church, but we have not been able to ascertain the date 
of the baptism of the eldest child. 

Until this period (1728) the country lying between the 
Conewago Hills and the Kittochtinny Mountains was 
owned, or rather claimed, by the Five Nations. It is 
true, the Scotch-Irish settlers had been pushed within 
these bounds ten years previously by the very Provincial 
authorities who destroyed their cabins on land already 
purchased. The treaty of 1728 opened up this vast and 
rich valley to the adventuresome. Filling up rapidly, on 
May 10, 1 729, the Assembly passed "An act for the erect- 
ing the Upper Part of the Province of Pennsylvania ly- 
ing towards the Sasquehannah, Conestogoe, Donnegal, 
etc., into a county," to be called Lancaster. At the first 
court in and for said county, November 3, 1730, at 
Posthlethwaite's, a petition was presented by John Har- 
ris, among others, "praying that he may be recom- 
mended to the Governor as a suitable person to trade 
with the Indians," and was allowed per curiam!' This, 
of course, was necessary in the change of counties ; here- 
tofore the application passed through the court of Ches- 
ter county, and in this connection we may remark that 
among the Chester county records as early as 1722 is to 
be found the name of John Harris, "on the Sasquahan- 
nah." Subsequently he made application to the same 
authority to "sell rum by the small," which was granted. 

In 1732, with the desire of establishing an additional 
trading-post, Harris built a store-house at the mouth of 
the Juniata. The last purchase (1728) not extending 
this far, the Indians objected to it, especially Sassonan 
and Shickalamy, who wrote through their interpreters to 
the Governor, informing him of the fact, and also to John 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. r 8 7 

Harris, commanding him to desist from making a planta- 
tion at the point referred to. The authorities made no 
objection. 

By virtue of a warrant from the Proprietaries of Penn- 
sylvania, bearing date January 1, 1725-6, five hundred 
acres of land were granted to John Harris, father of the 
founder of Harrisburg; and subsequently, on the 17th of 
I )ecember. 1733, by a patent, three hundred acres of al- 
lowance land, upon which he had commenced a settle- 
ment, on the present site of the city, about the year 1 7 1 7. 
The land included in the latter patent extended from 
what is now the line of Cumberland street some distance 
south of the present north boundary of the city, and in- 
cluding- also a part of the present site of the city, with its 
several additions. 

Until the year 1735-6, there was no regularly con- 
structed road to the Susquehanna, but at a session of the 
Provincial Council held in Philadelphia January 22, 
1 735-6- on the petition of sundry inhabitants of Chestor 
and Lancaster counties, "setting forth the Want of a 
High Road in the Remote parts of the said Counties 
where the petitioners are seated, and that a very commo- 
dious one may be laid out from the Ferry of John Har- 
ris, on Susquehannah, to fall in with the High Road lead- 
ing from Lancaster town at or near the Plantation of Ed- 
ward Kennison, in the Great Valley in the County of 
Chester," it was ordered that viewers be appointed who 
shall make a return of the same, "too-ether with a Draught 
of the said Road." Subsequently this was done, and the 
highway opened from the Susquehanna to the Delaware, 
and in years after continued westward to the Ohio. As 
a matter of course, the laying out of this road increased 
greatly the business at Harris Ferry, and it became at a 



1 88 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

very early period the depot of trade to the western and 
northern frontiers of the Province, a position which it has 
held for over a century and a half. 

Well advanced in life, at the age of about seventy-five, 
after having for several years intrusted his business to 
his eldest son, still in his minority, in December, 1748, 
the first pioneer quietly passed away from earth, having 
previously made a request that his remains be interred 
underneath the shade of that tree so memorable to him. 
There his dust lies at rest on the banks of our beautiful 
river — within the hearing of its thundering at flood-tide, 
and the musical rippling of its pellucid waters in its sub- 
dued majesty and beaut)-. 

The oldest son, John Harris, who succeeded to the 
oreatest portion of his father's estate, and who, in 1785, 
laid out the Capital City of Pennsylvania, married first 
Elizabeth M'Clure and second Mary Reed, daughter of 
Captain Adam Reed, of Hanover, an officer of the Pro- 
vincial service, was a prominent personage during the In- 
dian wars, and the principal military storekeeper on the 
frontier. His letters to the Governors of the Province 
and other officials are of intense interest, and deserve to 
be collated by our antiquarians. Not models of style, it 
is true, but they give vivid descriptions of the perilous 
times in which our ancestors dwelt who made the then 
out-bounds of civilization flourish and "blossom as a rose." 

By a grant from Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, 
Esqs., proprietaries, to John Harris, Jr., bearing date of 
record l 'ye 19th February, 1753," that gentleman was al- 
lowed the right of running a ferry across the Susquehan- 
na, from which originated the former name of the place, 
which previous to the organization of the county, was 
known far and near as Harris Ferry. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 189 

It appears from letters of John Harris, written to Gov- 
ernor Morris, that an Indian named Half-King, also called 
Tauacharissou, died at his house on the night of the 1st 
of October, 1754. Rupp says that "he had his residence 
at Logstown, on the Ohio, fourteen miles below Pitts- 
burgh, on the opposite side. George Washington vis- 
ited him in 1753, and desired him to relate some of the 
particulars of a journey he had shortly before made to the 
French Commandant at Fort Duquesne." We find this 
note among the votes of Assembly, 1754: "Dec. 17, 
Post Meridian, 1754. — The Committee of Accounts re- 
ported a balance of £\o 15s. 4d. due to the said John 
Harris for his expenses, and ^5 for his trouble, &c, in 
burying the Half-King and maintaining the sundry In- 
dians that were with him." 

They had considerable trouble at Harris Ferry during 
the French and Indian war, which extended over the 
period from 1754 to 1765. A petition from the inhabit- 
ants of the townships of Paxtang, Derry and Hanover, 
Lancaster county, bearing date July 22, 1754, and setting 
forth their precarious condition, was presented and read 
in the Council on the 6th of August following. It bore 
the signatures of Thomas Forster, James Armstrong, 
John Harris, Thomas Simpson, Samuel Simpson, John 
Carson, David Shields, William M'Mullin, John Cuoit, 
William Armstrong, William Bell, John Dougherty, 
James Atkin, Andrew Cochran, James Reed, Thomas 
Rutherford, T. M'Carter, William Steel, Samuel Hunter, 
Thos. Mayes, James Coler, Henry Rennicks, Richard 
M'Clure, Thomas Dugan, John Johnson, Peter Fleming, 
Thomas Sturgeon, Matthew Taylor, Jeremiah Sturgeon, 
Thos. King, Robert Smith, Adam Reed, John Crawford, 
Thomas Crawford, Jonathan M'Clure, Thomas Hume, 



1 90 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Thomas Steene, John Hume, John Creige, Thomas 
M'Clure, William M'Clure, John Rodgers, James Patter- 
son, John Young, Ez. Sankey, John Forster, Mitchel 
Graham, James Toalen, James Galbraith, James Camp- 
bell, Robert Boyd, James Chambers, Robert Armstrong, 
Jno. Campbell, Hugh Black, Thomas Black. 

At this period also we find an extensive correspond- 
ence between John Harris, Conrad Weiser and others 
and Edward Shippen, complaining of the insecurity of 
life and property owing to the depredations of the In- 
dians; and their tenor is a continual and just complaint 
of the outrages committed by the savages, and urgent re- 
quests to the authorities for protection, and arms, etc. 

On the 8th of January, 1756, a council with the In- 
dians was held at the house of John Harris, at Paxtang, 
composed of Hon. Robert Hunter Morris, Governor; 
James Hamilton and Richard Peters, secretaries; Joseph 
Fox, commissioner, and Conrad Weiser, interpreter; two 
Indians of the Six Nations called "The Belt of Wam- 
pum," a Seneca, and the "Broken Thigh," a Mohawk. 
The meeting was of an amicable character, and was only 
the preliminary step to a larger and more important 
council held the week following at Carlisle. One of the 
reasons for holding the council at the latter place was, 
"that there were but few conveniences 'for the proper en- 
tertainment' of the Governor and his company at Harris 
Ferry, and Mr. Weiser gave it as his opinion that it 
would be better to adjourn to Carlise." A second coun- 
cil was held here on the 1st of xA.pril, 1757. Present: 
the Rev. John Elder, Captain Thomas M'Kee, Messrs. 
James Armstrong, Hugh Crawford, John Harris, William 
Pentrup, interpreter, and warriors from the Mohawks, 
Oneidas, Tuscaroras, Onondagoes, Nanticokes, Cayugas, 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin ( 'ounty. I < H 

Delawares, Senecas and Conestogoes, with their women 
and children. George Croghan, Esq., deputy agent to 

the Hon. Sir W. [ohnson, Bart., his majesty's sole agent 
and superintendent of the Six .Nations, etc., was also 
present. This council was removed to Lancaster, owing 
to the number of Indians then encamped at Conestoga 
Manor, where the remainder of the business was con- 
cluded. 

The most interesting- event of this period was the ex- 
termination of the so-called Conestoga Indians by the 
Paxtang Rangers. The situation of the frontiers suc- 
ceeding the Pontiax war was truly deplorable, principally 
owing to the supineness of the Provincial authorities, for 
the Quakers, who controlled the government, were, to 
use the language of Capt. Lazarus Stewart, "more solicit- 
ous for the welfare of the blood-thirsty Indian than for 
the lives of the frontiersmen. In their blind partiality, 
bigotry and political prejudice, the)' would not readily ac- 
cede to the demands of those of a different religious faith. 
Especially was this the case relative to the Presbyterians 
and Roman Catholics, both of whom were tolerated by mere 
sufferance. To them, therefore, was greatly attributable 
the reign of horror and devastation in the border coun- 
ties. The government was deaf to all entreaties, and 
General Amherst, commander of the British forces in 
America, did not hesitate to give his feelings an em- 
phatic expression — " The conduct of the Pennsylvania As- 
sembly I' he wrote, "is altogether so infatuated and stupidly 
obstinate, that J want words to express nix indignation 
thereat." Nevertheless, the sturdy Scotch-Irish anil 
Germans of this section rallied for their own defense. 
The inhabitants of Paxtang and Hanover immediately 
enrolled themselves into several companies, the Rev. 
John Elder being their Colonel. 



192 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Lazarus Stewart, Matthew Smith and Asher Clayton, 
men of acknowledged military ability and prowess, 
commanded distinct companies of Rangers. These brave 
men were ever on the alert, watching with eagle eye the 
Indian marauders who at this period swooped down upon 
the defenseless frontiers. High mountains, swollen 
rivers, or great distances never deterred or appalled 
them. Their courage and fortitude were equal to every 
undertaking, and woe betide the red men when their 
blood-stained tracks once met their eyes. The Paxtang 
Rangers were the terror of the Indians — they were swift 
on foot, excellent horsemen, good shots, skillful in pur- 
suit or escape, dexterous as scouts and expert in ma- 
nceuvering. 

The murders in and around Paxtang", notwithstanding 
the vigilance of the Rangers, became numerous, and 
many a family mourned for some of their number shot 
by the secret foe or carried away captive. The frontiers- 
men took their rifles with them to the field and to the 
sanctuary. Their colonel and pastor placed his trusty 
piece beside him in the pulpit; and it is authoritatively 
stated that on one occasion old Derry meeting house was 
surrounded while he was preaching; but their spies hav- 
ing counted the rifles the Indians retired from their am- 
buscade without making an attack. 

Many were the murderous deeds perpetrated by the 
savages — but where these came from was a mystery. 
Indians had been traced by the scouts to the wigwams ol 
the so-called friendly Indians at Conestoga, and to those 
of the Moravian Indians in Northampton county. Sus- 
picion was awakened, the questions, "are these Christian 
Indians treacherous ? are their wigwams the harbors of 
our deadly foe ? do they conceal the nightly prowling as- 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 193 

sassin of the forest : the villain, who with savage ferocity, 
tore the innocent babe from the bosom of its mother, 
where it had been quietly reposing, and hurled it in the 
fire? The mangled bodies of our friends cry aloud for 
vengeance." Such were the questions, surmises, and ex- 
pressions of the exasperated people on the frontiers; and 
well warranted, for on one occasion when the Assembly 
were deaf to all entreaties and petition, with the hope of 
arousing their sympathy the murdered were taken to 
Philadelphia on wagons — when a prominent Quaker, 
with a sneer, remarked they were "only Irish." This un- 
feeling expression was remembered by the Scotch-Irish 
of the frontiers. 

The Ouakers who controlled the a-overnment, as here- 
tofore remarked, "seemed resolved," says Parkman, 
"that they would neither defend the people of the fron- 
tier or allow them to defend themselves, vehemently in- 
veighed against all expeditions to cut off the Indian ma- 
rauders. Their security was owing to their local situa- 
tion, being confined to the eastern part of the Province." 
That such was the case, rather than to the kind feelings 
of the Indian towards them, is shown by the fact that 
of the very few living in exposed positions, several were; 
killed. 

The inhabitants declared openly that they no longer 
confided in the professions of the Governor or his ad- 
visers in the Assembly. Numbers of volunteers joined 
the Rangers of Northampton, Perks, Lancaster, York 
and Cumberland, who were engaged in tracing the mid- 
night assassins. On the Manor, a portion of land sur- 
veyed for the Proprietaries, situated in Lancaster county, 
near where the borough of Columbia is now located, was 
settled a band of squalid, miserable- Indians — the refuse 



1 94 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

of sundry tribes. Time and again they were suspected 
of murder and thievery, and their movements at this 
crisis were closely watched. Strange Indians were con- 
stantly coming- and going. 

Colonel Elder under the date of September 13, 1763, 
thus wrote to Governor Hamilton, "I suggest to you the 
propriety of an immediate removal of the Indians from 
Conestoga and placing a garrison in their room. /;/ case 
this is done, I pledge myself for the future security of the 
frontiers ." 

Subsequently, on taking charge of the executive affairs 
of the Province in October, Governor John Penn replied 
as follows: "The Indians of Conestoga have been repre- 
sented as innocent, helpless and dependent on this gov- 
ernment for support. The faith of this government is 
pledged for their protection. I cannot remove them 
without adequate cause. The contract made with Wil- 
liam Penn was a private agreement, afterwards con- 
firmed by several treaties. Care has been taken by the 
provincial committee that no Indians but our own visit 
Conestoga. Whatever can be faithfully executed under 
the laws, shall be as faithfully .performed;" and yet Gov- 
ernor Penn in writing to Thomas Penn afterwards 
uses this language: "Many of them," referring to the 
frontier inhabitants, "have had their wives and children 
murdered and scalped, their houses burnt to the ground, 
their cattle destroyed, and from an easy, plentiful life are 
now become beggars. In short, not only in this Prov- 
ince, but in the neighboring governments is the spirit of 
the people inveterate against the Indians." 

John Harris had previously made a similar request : 
"The Indians here, I hope your honor will be pleased to 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 195 

be removed to some other place, as / don't like their com- 
pany!* 

The Rangers finding appeals to the authorities useless, 
resolved on taking the law into their own hands. Sev- 
eral Indian murderers had been traced to Conestoga, and 
it was determined to take them prisoners. Captain 
Stewart, whose men ascertained this fact, acquainted his 
colonel of the object, who seemed rather to encourage 
his command to make the trial, as an example was neces- 
sary to be made for the safety of the frontier inhabitants. 
The destruction of the Conestogas was not then pro- 
jected. That was the result of the attempted capture. 
Parkman and Webster, following Rupp, state that Colo- 
nel Elder, learning of an intent to destroy the entire 
tribe, as they were about to set off rode after them com- 
manding them to desist, and that Stewart threatened to 
shoot his horse. Such was not the case. From a letter 
dated Paxtang, December 16, 1763, written to Governor 
Penn, he says: "On receiving intelligence the 13th 
inst., that a number of persons were assembled on pur- 
pose to go and cut off the Conestoga Indians, in concert 
with Mr. Forster, the neighboring magistrate, I hurried 
off an express -withwritten message to that party 'entreat- 
ing them to desist from such an undertaking, represent- 
ing to them the unlawfulness and barbarity of such an ac- 
tion; that it's cruel and unchristian in its nature, and 
would be fatal in its consequences to themselves and 
families ; that private persons have no right to take the; 
lives of any under the protection of the legislature ; that 
they must, if they proceeded in that affair, lay their ac- 
counts to meet with a severe prosecution, and become 
liable even to capital punishment; that they need not ex- 
pect that the country would endeavor to conceal or 



196 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

screen them from punishment, but that they would be de- 
tected and given up to the resentment of the govern- 
ment.' These things I uroed in the warmest terms in or 
der to prevail with them to drop the enterprise, but to no 
purpose." 

Not to be deterred, the Rangers reached the Indian 
settlement before daylight. The barking of some dogs 
discovered them and a number of strange Indians rushed 
from their wigwams, brandishing their tomahawks. This 
show of resistance was sufficient inducement for the 
Rangers to make use of their arms. In a few moments 
every Indian present fell before the unerring fire of the 
brave frontiersmen. The act accomplished, they mounted 
their horses and returned severally to their homes. Un- 
fortunately a number of the Indians were absent from 
Conestoga, prowling about the neighboring settlements, 
doubtless on predatory excursions. The destruction at 
the Manor becoming known, they were placed in the 
Lancaster work-house for protection. Among these vag- 
abonds were two well known to Parson Elder's scouts. 

An express being sent to Philadelphia with the news, 
great excitement ensued, and Governor Penn issued a 
proclamation relative thereto. Notwithstanding its fine 
array of words it fell upon the Province harmless. Out- 
side of the Quaker settlements every one heartily ap- 
proved of the measures taken by the Paxtang Rangers. 
As the Governor himself wrote to England: "If we had 
ten thousand of the King's troops I don't believe it 
would be possible to secure one of these people. Though 
I took all the pains I could even to get their names, I 
could not succeed, for indeed nobody would make the 
discovery, though ever so well acquainted with them, and 
there is not a magistrate in the country would have 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 197 

touched one of them. The people of this town are as in- 
veterate against the Indians as the frontier inhabitants. 
For it is beyond a doubt that many of the Indians now in 
town [referring- to the Moravian Indians confined in the 
barracks] have been concerned in committing murders 
among the back settlers." 

The presence of the remaining Indians at Lancaster 
also became a cause of great uneasiness to the magis- 
trates and people, for as previously remarked, two or 
three were notorious scoundrels. It may be here related 
that several of the strange Indians harbored at Cones- 
toga, who w r ere also absent at the destruction of the 
village, made their escape and reached Philadelphia, 
where they joined the Moravian Indians from Nain and 
Wechquetank, and there secreted. 

The removal of the remaining Indians from Lancaster 
was requested by the chief magistrate, Edward Shippen. 
Governor Penn proved very tardy, and we are of the 
opinion he cared little about them, or he would have 
acted promptly, as from his own confession he was not 
ignorant of the exasperation of the people and the mur- 
derous character of the refugees. Day after day passed 
by, and the excitement throughout the frontiers became 
greater. The Rangers, who found that their work had 
been only half done, consulted as to what measure should 
be further proceeded with. Captain Stewart proposed 
to capture the principal Indian outlaw, who was confined 
in the Lancaster work-house, and take him to Carlisle 
jail, when- he could be held for trial. This was heartily 
approved, and accordingly a detachment of the Rangers, 
variously estimated at from twenty to fifty, proceeded to 
Lancaster on the 27th of December, broke into the 

work-house, and but for the show of resistance would 

•j 1 



198 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

have effected their purpose. But the younger portion of 
the Rangers, to whom was confided this work, were so 
enraged at the defiance of the Indians, that before their 
resentment could be repressed by Captain Stewart, the 
unerring rifle was employed, and the last of the so-called 
Conestogas had yielded up his life. In a few minutes 
thereafter, mounting their horses, the daring- Rangers 
were safe from arrest. George Gibson, who, from his 
acquaintance with the principal frontiersmen of his time, 
in a letter written some years after, gives the most plaus- 
ible account of this transaction, which bore such an im- 
portant part in the early history of the Province. He 
says: "No murder has been committed since the re- 
moval of the friendly Indians and the destruction of the 
Conestogas — a strong proof that the murders were com- 
mitted under the cloak of the Moravian Indians. A de- 
scription of an Indian who had, with great barbarity, 
murdered a family on the Susquehanna, near Paxtang, 
was sent to Lazarus Stewart at Lancaster. This Indian 
had been traced to Conestoga. On the day of its de- 
struction he was on a hunting expedition. When he 
heard that the Rangers were in pursuit of him he fled to 
Philadelphia. The three or four who entered the work- 
house, at Lancaster, were directed by Stewart to seize 
on the murderer, and give him to his charge. When 
those outside heard the report of the guns within, several 
of the Rangers alighted, thinking their friends in danger, 
and hastened to the door. The more active of the In- 
dians, endeavoring to make their escape, were met by 
them and shot. No children were killed by the Paxtang 
boys. No act of savage butchery was committed." 

If the excitement throughout the Province was great 
alter the affair at Conestoga, this last transaction set 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin ( ounty. [99 

everything in a ferment, "No language," says Rev. Dr. 
Wallace, "can describe the outcry which arose from the 
Quakers in Philadelphia, or the excitement which swayed 
to and fro in the frontiers and in the city." The Quakers 
blamed the Governor, the Governor the Assembly, and 
the latter censured everybody except their own inaction. 
Two proclamations were issued by the Provincial author- 
ities, offering rewards for the seizure of those concerned 
in the destruction of the Indians; but this was impossible, 
owing to the exasperation of the frontiersmen, who 
heartily approved of the action of the Rangers. 

On the 27th of December the Rev. Mr. Elder hurried- 
ly wrote to Governor Penn: "The storm, which had 
been so long gathering, has at length exploded. Had 
government removed the Indians from Conestooa, as was 
frequently urged without success, this painful catastrophe 
might have been avoided. What could I do with men 
heated to madness? All that I could do was done. I 
expostulated, but life and reason were set at defiance, and 
yet the men, in private life are virtuous and respectable— 
not cruel, but mild and merciful. :;: * :;: The time 
will arrive when each palliating circumstance will be 
calmly weighed. This deed, magnified into the blackest of 
crimes, shall be considered one of those youthful ebullitions 
0/ wrath caused by momentary excitement, to which human 
infirmity is subjected." 

To this extenuating and warm-hearted letter came a 
reply, under date of December 29, 1763, from the Gov- 
ernor, requesting the commanders of the troops — Colo- 
nels Elder and Seely — to return the provincial arms, 
etc., as their services were no longer required. From 
this letter of Governor John Penn, it is evident that the 
commissioners, or rather the Provincial council, intended 



200 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

to punish both Colonel Elder and Esquire Seely, or that 
with the destruction of the Conestogas, there was little or 
no danger of Indian atrocities. The latter proved to be 
the case, but the authorities were cognizant of the fact 
that the Paxtang boys were correct in their surmisings, 
and that peace would follow the removal of the friendly 
Indians. It shows, also, that believing thus, the Provin- 
cial authorities were culpable to a great degree, in allow- 
ing the Indians to remain on the Manor, despite the rep- 
resentations of Colonel Elder, John Harris and Edward 
Shippen. The Reverend Mr. Elder quietly laid by his 
sword, feelino- confident that time would vindicate his 
course, whatever that may have been. 

Of the marching of the Paxtang boys towards Philadel- 
phia, we shall briefly refer in this connection, and the rea- 
son therefor is best given by an extract from a letter ol 
Governor Penn: "The 14th of this month we suspect a 
Thousand of the Rioters in Town to insist upon the As- 
sembly granting their request with regard to the increase 
of Representatives, to put them upon an equality with the 
rest of the Counties. They have from time to time pre- 
sented several petitions for the purpose, which have been 
always disregarded by the House; for which reason they 
intend to come in Person." Although our Quaker his- 
torians have uniformly stated that the object of the Pax- 
tang Boys was the massacre of the Moravian Indians in 
Philadelphia, yet the foregoing statement of the Execu- 
tive of the Province proves conclusively that their visit 
was not one of slaughter but of petition for redress of 
grievances. The narrative is one of interest to us in this 
section and the true history remains to be written. 

Pamphlets, says Webster, without number, truth or 
decency, poured like a torrent from the press. The 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 201 

Quakers took the pen to hold up the (\w\\ to execration; 
and many others seized the opportunity to defame the 
Irish Presbyterians as ignorant bigots and lawless ma- 
rauders. 

Violent and bitter as were the attacks of the Quaker 
pamphleteers, Parson Elder was only casually alluded to. 
With the exception of the following, written to Col. 
Burd, he made no attempt to reply to any of these, leav- 
ing his cause- with God and posterity: "Lazarus Stewart 
is still threatened by the Philadelphia party; he and his 
friends talk of leaving-; if they do, the Province will lose 
some of its best friends, and that by the faults of others, 
not their own; for if any cruelty was practiced on the In- 
dians, at Conestoga or at Lancaster, it was not by his or 
their hands. There is great reason to believe that much 
injustice has been done to all concerned. In the contra- 
riness of accounts, we must infer that much rests for sup- 
port on the imagination or interest of the witnesses. 
'Flie character of Stewart and his friends were well estab- 
lished. Ruffians, nor brutal, they were; not; but hu- 
mane, liberal and moral, nay, religious. It is evidently 
not the wish of the party to give Stewart a fair hearing. 
All he desires is to be put on trial at Lancaster, near the 
scenes of the horrible butcheries committed by the In- 
dians at Tulpenhocken, etc., where he can have the testi- 
mony of the scouts and rangers, men whose services can 
never be sufficiently rewarded. The pamphlet has been 
sent by my friends and enemies; it failed to inflict a 
wound; it is at least a garbled statement; it carries with 
it the seeds of its own dissolution. That the hatchet was 
used is denied, and is it not reasonable to suppose that 
men, accustomed to the use of guns, would make use oi 
their favorite weapons? 



202 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

"The inference is plain, that the bodies of the Indians 
were thus mangled after death by certain persons, to ex- 
cite a feeling against the Paxtang boys. This fact Stew- 
art says he can and will establish in a fair trial at Lan- 
caster, York or Carlisle. At any rate we are all suffer- 
ing at present by the secret influence of a faction — a fac- 
tion who have shown their love to the Indians by not ex- 
posing themselves to its influence in the frontier settle- 
ments." 

The "pamphlet" alluded to in the foregoing was the 
notorious article written by Benjamin Franklin for polit- 
ical effect. He acknowledged, in a letter to Lord Karnes, 
that his object was a political one. As such, its tissue of 
falsehoods caused his defeat for member of the Assem- 
bly, a position he had held for fourteen years. Fortu- 
nately for him, the Revolution brought him into promi- 
nence, and the past was forgotten. 

This transaction was subsequently "investigated" by the 
magistrate at Lancaster, but so condemnatory of the In- 
dians was the evidence elicited that it was the Quaker 
policy to suppress and destroy it. Nevertheless all efforts 
to carry into effect the proclamation of the Governor was 
really suspended, so far as his authority went, in regard 
to which grave complaints were made by the Assembly, 
who seemed to bend all their energies to persecute the 
offenders. 

The names of many of those brave defenders of their 
homes have been lost to us — but the frequent statement 
in all our histories that the participants in that transac- 
tion came to an untimely end, is false. With the excep- 
tion of Lazarus Stewart, who fell on that unfortunate day 
at the massacre of Wyoming, these heroes of the Iron- 
tiers lived to hearty old age, and several reached almost 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 203 

the hundred years of life. Their deeds were those <>l 
desperation, it is true, but their acts are to be honored 
and their names revered. 

The discussions which ensued may truly be said to have 
sown the seeds of the; Revolution, and in a letter of ( Gov- 
ernor John Perm to his brother in England, written at 
this time, he thus alludes to the inhabitants of Paxtang, 
"their next move will be to subvert the government and 
establish one of their own." 

No wonder then, when the first mutterings of the 
storm was heard, that the people of this entire section 
were ripe for revolution. The love of liberty was a lead- 
ing trait of the people who settled this delightful valley. 
The tyranny and oppression of Europe drove them to 
seek an asylum among the primeval forests of America. 
Persecution for conscience' sake compelled alike the 
Scotch- Irish and the German of the Palatinate to come 
hither and rear their altars dedicated to God and Free- 
dom to man. With them Independence was as much 
their dream as the realization. Their isolated position — 
placed on the frontiers — unprotected by the Provincial 
authorities — early instilled into their minds those incen- 
tives to action, that when the; opportune moment arrived 
they were in the van. Two years before the Declaration 
by Congress, the people had assembled at their respect- 
ive places of rendezvous, and heralded forth their opin- 
ions in plain and unmistakable language, while the citi- 
zens of the large towns were tearful and hesitating. 

As early as the spring ol 1 774 meetings were held in 
the different townships, the resolves of only two of which 
are preserved to us. The earliest was that of an assem- 
bly of the inhabitants of Hanover, Lancaster count)-, held 
on Saturday, June 4, 1774, Colonel Timothy Green, 



204 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

chairman, "to express their sentiments on the present 
critical state of affairs." It was then and there "Unani- 
mously resolved:" 

"i st. That the recent action of the Parliament of Great 
Britain is iniquitous and oppressive. 

"2d. That it is the bounden duty of the inhabitants of 
America to oppose every measure which tends to deprive 
them of their just prerogatives. 

"3d. That in a closer union of the colonies lies the safe- 
guard of the people. 

"4th. That in the event of Great Britain attempting to 
force unjust laws upon us by the strength of arms, our 
cause we leave to Heaven and our rifles. 

"5th. That a committee of nine be appointed who shall 
act for us and in our behalf as emergency may require. 

"The committee consisted of Col. Timothy Green, Jas. 
Caruthers, Josiah Espy, Robert Dixon, Thomas Copen- 
heffer, William Clark, James Stewart, Joseph Barnett and 
John Rogers." 

So much for patriotic Hanover. Following- in the 
footsteps of these brave men, on Friday following, June 
10, 1 774, a similar meeting was held at Middletown, Col. 
James Burd, chairman, at which these stirring resolves 
were concurred in, and which served as the text of those 
passed at the meeting at Lancaster subsequently: 

"1st. That the acts of the Parliament of Great Britain 
in divesting us of the right to give and grant our money, 
and assuming such power to themselves, are unconstitu- 
tional, unjust and oppressive. 

"2d. That it is an indispensable duty we owe to our- 
selves and posterity to oppose with decency and firmness 
every measure tending to deprive us of our just rights 
and privileges. 



Historical Sketch of DaupJiin County. 205 

"3d. That a close union of the Colonies and their faith- 
ful adhering to such measures as a general Congress 
shall judge proper, are the most likely means to procure 
redress of American grievances and settle the rights of 
the Colonies on a permanent basis. 

"4th. That we will sincerely and heartily agree to and 
abide by the measures which shall be adopted by the 
members of the general Congress of the Colonies. 

"5th. That a committee be appointed to confer with 
similar committees relative to the present exigency of af- 
fairs." 

Not to be behind their Scotch-Irish neighbors, the 
German inhabitants located in the east of the county, 
met at Frederickstown, (now Hummelstown,) on Satur- 
day, the 1 1 th of June, at which Captain Frederick Hum- 
mel was chairman, resolving to stand by the other town- 
ships in all their action. 

We say they were ripe for revolution, and when the 
stirring battle-drum aroused the new-born nation, the 
inhabitants of Dauphin valiantly armed for the strife. 
One of the first companies raised in the Colonies was that 
of Captain Matthew Smith, of Paxtang. Within ten days 
after the receipt of the news of the battle of Lexington, 
this company was armed and equipped, read)' for service. 
Composing this pioneer body of patriots was the best blood 
ot the count)' — the Dixons, the Elders, the Simpsons, 
the Boyds, the Harrises, the Reeds, the Tods and others. 
Archibald Steele and Michael Simpson were the lieuten- 
ants. It was the second company to arrive at Boston, 
coming south of the Hudson river. It was subsequently 
ordered to join General Arnold in his unfortunate cam- 
paign against Quebec, and the most reliable account of 
that expedition was written by a member of this verj 

25 



206 Historical Sketch of 'Dauphin County. 

Paxtang company, John Joseph Henry, afterwards Presi- 
dent Judge of Lancaster and Dauphin counties. They 
were enlisted for one year. The majority, however, 
were taken prisoners at Quebec, while a large per cent- 
age died of wounds and exposure. 

In March, 1776, Capt. John Murray's company was 
raised in Paxtang township, attached to the rifle battalion 
of Col. Samuel Miles. The officers of this company 
were First Lieutenant, John Stoner, May 15, 1776; 
Second* Lieutenant, James Hamilton, March 16, 1776; 
and Third Lieutenant, Charles Taylor, March 19, 1776. 
The last named was killed at the battle of Long Island, 
August 27, 1776. This company participated in the bat 
ties of Long Island, White Plains, Princeton and Trenton. 

Captain Patrick Anderson's company was raised in the 
lower part of the county in January, 1776. It was at- 
tached to Col. Atlee's musketry battalion, suffered se- 
verely at Long Island, re-organized under Captain Am- 
brose Crain, a gallant officer, placed in the Pennsylvania 
State regiment of foot, commanded by Col. John Bull, 
and subsequently, in the re-arrangement of the line, the 
13th Pennsylvania, under Col. Walter Stewart, so con- 
spicuous in the battle of Yorktown. 

Captain John Marshal's company was from Hanover, 
enlisted in March, 1776, and attached to Col. Miles' bat- 
talion, participating in the various battles in which that 
brave command distinguished itself. Of this company 
the remaining officers were First Lieutenant, John Clark, 
March 15, 1776; Second Lieutenant, Thomas Gourley, 
March 15, 1776, promoted to First Lieutenant of the 
9th Pennsylvania, December 7, 1776; Third Lieutenant, 
Stephen Hanna, March 19, 1776. 

Captain Smith's company, on the expiration of their 
term of service, re-enlisted in the First Pennsylvania 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 207 

(Col. Hand) wfth Captain Michael Simpson, December, 
1776, who retired from the army January I, 1 781. Da- 
vid Harris commanded a company in this regiment July 
1776 (resigned October, 1777,) of which also James 
Hamilton, formerly lieutenant in Capt. John Murray's 
company, was promoted major (retiring January 1, 1 783.) 
Major Hamilton was captured at the battle of Brandy- 
wine. 

In the Tenth Pennsylvania (Colonel Joseph Penrose) 
were Captain John Stoner's company, December 4, 1776; 
and Capt. Robert Sample's, December 4, 1776, (retired 
January 1, 1781.) John Steel, First Lieutenant of the 
former company, was killed at Brandywine September 

ri > l 777- , 

In the Twelfth Pennsylvania (Col. William Cook) was 

the company of Capt. John Harris, October 14, 1776; 
First Lieutenant, John Reily, October 16, 1776 (subse- 
quently promoted to Captain, and mustered out with the 
regiment November 3, 1783;) Second Lieutenant, John 
Carothers, October 16, 1776, (killed at Germantown. | 

The foreo-oino- were the different companies raised in 
this part of the country at the outset of the Revolution — 
ere the thunder-tones of the Declaration of Independ- 
ence sounded along the corridors of time. Following 
those in succession were the Associators, the brave min- 
ute-men, 

"Who left the ploughshare in tin- mould, 

Their flocks and herds without a fold, 

The sickle in the unshorn grain, 

The corn, half garner'd on the plain. 

Ami muster'd, in their simple dress, 

For wrongs to seek a stern redress, 

To righl those wrongs, come weal, come woe, 

To perish, or o'ercome the foe" 

At one period the entire country was so bare ol men 
that the old men, the women and the lads of ten and 



2o8 Historical Sketch of 'Dauphin County. 

twelve years not only done the planting- and harvesting, 
but took up arms to defend their homes in the threatened 
invasion by Indians and tories after the massacre of Wy- 
oming. 

At Trenton, at Princeton, at Brandywine and German- 
town, at the Crooked Billet and the Paoli, the militia of 
Dauphin fought, and bled, and died. With over one hun- 
dred and fifty commissioned officers, of whom my friend, 
Mr. Hamilton, has so well referred to, there certainly 
must have been a powerful force. After what has been 
said, I need scarcely refer to the gallant Burd, Crouch, 
Green, Weir, Cox, Boyd, Graham, Forrest, Allen and 
Lee; or the chivalric Stewart, Murray, Wilson, Wiggins 
and Rogers — and that long line of heroes whose brilliant 
achievements shed an undying glory on the patriotism of 
Dauphin county in the Revolution. What was once said 
of the men of New England can more truthfully be said 
of our own county, and of Pennsylvania especially: 

"* * * On every hill they lie, 

On every field of strife made red 
By bloody victory. 

Each valley, where the battle pour'd 
Its red and awful tide, 

Beheld "Old Dauphin's bravest" sword 
With slaughter deeply dyed. 

Their bones are on the Northern hill 
And on the Southern plain, 

By brook and river, lake and rill, 
And by the roaring main. 

"The land is holy where they fought, 
And holy where they fell, 
For by their blood that land was bought, 

The land they loved so well. 
Then glory to that valiant band, 
The honor' d saviours of the land! " 

When liberty shall have been crushed to earth — then, 
and then only will their deeds and their sweet memories 
be effaced from the hearts of their descendants. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 209 

With the dawn of peace, the people of the county 
returned to their usual avocations.- Civil affairs were 
taken cognizance of, and movements were at once made 
to secure the formation of a new county, with Harrisburg 
as the seat of justice. By the act of Assembly of March 
4, 1785, the county of Dauphin was separated from Lan- 
caster, its name derived from the eldest son of the then 
king of the French — France at that period^ in conse- 
quence of its efficient aid to the Colonies, being upper- 
most in the affections of the people. The enthusiasm 
was unbounded, and, as we shall refer to hereafter, car- 
ried to extreme lengths. The name was suggested by 
the prime movers for the formation of the new county. 
The seat of justice was fixed at Harris' Ferry, then a 
village of about one hundred houses, although the town 
was not actually laid out or surveyed until after the pas- 
sage of the ordinance referred to. In the commissions 
of the officers of the new county, the town was named 
Louisburgh, in honor of Louis XVI., suggested by Chief 
Justice Thomas M'Kean, not only on account ot his 
French leanings, but to show his petty spite against Mr. 
Harris, to whom, somehow or other, he held political 
opposition. 

This act of injustice was subsequently remedied, when, 
on the [3th of April, 1701, the town was created a bor- 
ough, by the name of Harrisburg. It was undecided for 
awhile whether to call the place Harris' Ferry or Harris- 
burg. The latter, fortunately, was adopted. 

On the organization of the count)', Middletown was 
the largest village in the county, and strenuous efforts 
were made; by its citizens and the inhabitants ol the 
townships subsequently forming Lebanon county, to 
make it the seat of justice; while similar claims were 



2 i o Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

made for the town of Lebanon, on account of its central 
location. 

The machinery of the new county was soon put into 
motion, the earliest record of whose courts reads thus: 

"At a court of quarter sessions, holden near Harris' 
Ferry, in and for the county of Dauphin," &c, on the 
"third Tuesday of May, in the year of our Lord 1785," 
before "Timothy Green, Samuel Jones and Jonathan M'- 
Clure, Esqrs., justices of the same court." 

We may imagine the scene, in a small room in a log 
house near the "lower ferry," at Front and Vine streets, 
with a jury particularly intelligent — an excellent set of 
county officers, and such a bar as Ross, Kittera, Cham- 
bers, Hubley, James Biddle, Hanna, Andrew Dunlop, 
Reily, Collinson Reed, Jasper Yeates, John Joseph Henry, 
Thomas Duncan, and Thomas Smith, most of whom rose 
to occupy the highest positions at the bar or in the Sen- 
ate — quite a show of famous men to start the judicial 
engine of the new county, with the net result of convicting 
William Courtenay, a descendant of one of the proudest 
houses of England, and sentencing him to eighteen lashes, 
fifteen shillings fine, and "to stand in the pillory." This 
instrument of judicial vengeance stood about sixty yards 
below the grave of John Harris, the elder, or just above 
the ferry house, at the junction of FYont and Paxtang 
streets. This, doubtless, was the exact position, as two 
or three of the first courts were held in a building on 
what is now the southern corner of Front street and 
Washington avenue. There was no citizen of Harris- 
burg on the first jury, except, perhaps, Alexander Berry- 
hill, but that is not certain. Colonel James Cowden, of 
Lower Paxtang township, was the foreman of this grand 
jury. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 2 1 1 

The sheriff of Lancaster county exercised the same of- 
fice in Dauphin county. The names of the jurymen 
were [ames Cowden, (fore-man,) Robert Montgomery, 
John Gilchrist, Barefoot Brunson, John Clarke, Roan 
M'Clure, John Carson, John Wilson, Wm. Crane, Archi- 
bald M'Allister, Richard Dixon, John Pattimore, James 
Crouch, Jacob Awl, William Brown, Andrew Stewart, 
James Rogers, Samuel Stewart, John Cooper, Alexander 
Berryhill. Alexander Graydon was the first prothonota- 
ry, and Anthony Kelker the first sheriff. 

The minutes of the second court held in the town are 
dated at "Harrisburgh," and on the 3d of August, 1786, 
the following endorsement appears on the docket: The 
name of the county town, or seat of the courts, is altered 
from "Harrisburgh" to "Louisburgh," in consequence of 
the Supreme Executive Council af the Commonwealth, 
so styling it in the Commissions of the Justices of said 
town." 

The courts were held for several successive years in 
the same locality, but subsequently in the log house re- 
cently demolished on the south-east corner of Market 
street and Dewberry alley. From here it was removed 
to its present location, except during the sessions of the 
Legislature from 1812 to 1822, when the court occupied 
the brick building built by the county commissioners on 
the corner of Walnut street and Raspberry alley. The 
present edifice was erected in 1S60. 

The act of Assembly erecting Harrisburg into a bor- 
ough defined its limits as follows: 

"Beginning at low- water mark on the eastern shore ol 
the Susquehanna River: thence by the pine-apple tree 
north 60% degrees, east 79 perches, to an ash tree on 
the west bank of Paxton Creek; thence by the several 



2 1 2 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

corners thereof 323 perches, to a white hickory on Wil- 
liam Maclay's line; thence by the same south 67^ de- 
grees, west 212 perches, to a marked chestnut-oak on 
the eastern bank of the Susquehanna; thence by the 
same course to low-water mark to the place of begin- 
ning." 

The borough limits were extended by the act of the 
1 6th of April, 1838, as follows: "The north-western 
boundary line of the borough of Harrisburg shall be and 
the same is hereby extended and enlarged as follows: 
Extending it along the river line to the upper line of the 
land of the late William Maclay, on said river; thence to 
Paxton creek, and thence along said creek to the north- 
western corner to the present boundary." Thus annex- 
ing Maclaysburg, or all the territory included in the bor- 
ough then lying north-west of South street. 

During the so-called Whisky Insurrection, 1794, Har- 
risburg became quite prominent, it being on the great 
thoroughfare to the Western counties. The court house 
was then building, and some of the sympathizers with the 
anti-excise men beyond the mountains hoisted a French 
flae on that structure. Of course this grave offense and 
it was quietly removed. Several arrests were made of 
individuals who expressed sympathy for the Western in- 
surgents — one of whom, Major Swiney, was confined in 
prison for nearly a year, when he was released without 
trial. Governor Mifflin, who was an excellent stump- 
speaker, made one of his characteristic addresses here, 
and in two days time no less than three companies from 
the town were on their march to Carlisle. When Gov. 
Howell, of New Jersey, and his brilliant staff remained 
over night, they were so hospitably entertained by the 
citizens that he returned his thanks in special orders. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 213 

On Friday, the 3d of October, when the President, the 
great and good Washington, approached the town, he 
was met by a large concourse of the people and the en- 
thusiasm was unbounded. The worthy burgesses, Con- 
rad Bombaugh and Alexander Berryhill, presented the 
address of the town, to which the chief magistrate 
briefly replied, bearing "testimony to the zealous and ef- 
ficient exertions" they had made. That evening he held 
a reception at his head-quarters, where the principal citi- 
zens embraced the opportunity of paying their respects 
to the venerated chieftain. On the morning of the 4th 
he crossed the river at the upper ferry, which was fifty 
yards above the present Harrisburg bridge. 

About this period came the fever of 1 793-5 and the 
mill-dam troubles. For two years previous a disease of 
a malignant type prevailed during the summer season in 
the borough. Its origin was proved beyond doubt to be 
due to a mill-dam located in what is now the First ward 
of the city, on Paxtang creek. In 1 793, during the preva- 
lence of the yellow fever in Philadelphia, it was thought 
and even pronounced such. Quite a number of Irish 
emigrants died, and although many of the inhabitants 
were attacked there were no fatal cases among them. 
This was proof positive that the endemic was due to the 
damming up of the Paxtang creek, which was always 
"dead water," (its Indian significance,) producing mala- 
rial poisoning. Our ancestors, reasoning rightly, their 
next move was to get rid of the nuisance. Meetings 
were held, committees appointed, funds raised and ten- 
dered to the owners of the mill, Peter and Abraham Lan- 
dis, the amount demanded by them the previous year for 
their property. The impecunious millers now required 
a greater sum, but the citizens positively refused, and at 

26 



214 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

a public meeting they resolved that a further tender be 
made the Landises and in case of refusal to "prostrate 
the dam" and pay, if necessary, the "proportionable parts 
of all legal expenses and damages that might accrue on 
any suits or indictments which might be brought or 
prosecuted in consequence of such acts." Our fore- 
fathers were not to be trifled with, and suiting the action 
to the word, met at a given hour and opened the dam. 
Eventually the parties compromised — the Landises ac- 
cepted a certain sum and the town secured the mill right. 
The valuable papers relating to this interesting epoch in 
the history of Harrisburg are in the possession of the 
Dauphin County Historical Society and being prepared 
for publication. The entire transaction was creditable to 
the ancient Harrisburger, and the descendants of the 
men who then stood up for the rights of the people are 
among the most prominent of our citizens to-day. 

In 1798, when a war with France was imminent and a 
call made by the general government on Pennsylvania 
for troops, an unusual excitement was created, and sev- 
eral companies tendered their services to the Governor. 
The storm blew over, and as in 1807, when a war was 
threatened with Great Britain — no occasion for troops 
were required, until five years after — when the second 
struggle with England took place. Among the promi- 
nent military organizations which armed for the conflict 
were the companies of Captains Thomas Walker, Rich- 
ard M. Crain, John Carothers, Jeremiah Rees, Thomas 
M'llhenny, Peter Snyder, John B. Moorhead, James Todd, 
Richard Knight, John Elder, Isaac Smith, Philip Fedder- 
hoff and Gawen Henry, quite a formidable array. Some 
of these marched as far as Baltimore at the time of the 
British attack on that city, while others went no farther 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 215 

than York. None of these companies had an opportu- 
nity to meet the enemy on the sanguinary field — but 
I )auphin county men composed the major portion of two 
companies which joined the Canada expedition. The 
heroes of this conflict are nearly all passed from off the 
stage of life. Following in the footsteps of the fathers of 
the Revolution, they emulated their heroism and devo- 
tion to the liberties of their country. 

In the war with Mexico, consequent upon the annexa- 
tion of Texas, among the troops which went out to that 
far-off land to vindicate the honor of our country and 
preserve its prestige, was the -Cameron Guards, under 
command of Captain Edward C. Williams. They made 
a good record, their heroic conduct at Cerro Gordo, 
Chapultepec and the Garreta de Belina, won for them 
high renown and the commendation of their venerated 
commander-in-chief. Scarce a corporal's guard remains 
of that gallant band. 

Coming down to later times, when the perpetuity of 
the Union was threatened, and the great North rose up 
like a oiant in its strength to crush secession and rebel- 
lion, the events are so fresh in the remembrances of all 
that we shall only refer to them in brief. The first pub- 
lic meeting held after the firing upon Fort Sumter in the 
State of Pennsylvania, and in fact the first in any northern 
city, was in the court house at Harrisburg, General Simon 
Cameron being chairman thereof. I )auphin county, fore- 
most in tendering men and means to the government for 
that bitter, deadly strife, furnished her full quota of volun- 
teers. Twice Harrisburg was the objective point of the 
Confederate troops, and at one time (June, 1863) the 
enemy's picket was within two miles of the city. Active 
preparations wttre made for its defense;, and fortifications 



2r6 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

erected on the bluff opposite, and named "Fort Washing- 
ton." This was the only fortification deserving a name 
erected in any of the Northern States. Rifle pits were 
dug along the banks of the river, in front of Harris Park, 
and every preparation made to give the enemy a warm 
reception. The Union victory at Gettysburg checked 
the further advance of the Confederates, and with it the 
last attempt to invade the North. It would take vol- 
umes to rehearse not only the heroism of the sons of 
Dauphin county on the battle-field, but the deeds of 
mercy and charity and love of the noble-hearted women. 
Need we speak of the gallantry of the lamented Sim- 
mons and the six hundred brave dead — stricken down on 
the field of battle, in the hospital or in the loathsome 
prison, or yet of the living — Knipe and Jennings, the 
Awls, Porter, Williams and Jordan, Witman and Davis, 
Detweiler, M'Cormick and Alleman, Savage and Hum- 
mel, and many others — a long line of illustrious names — 
officers and privates of that immense force which Dau- 
phin county sent out from her midst for the preservation 
of the Union. 

The location of the first and greatest military camp in 
the Northern States was within the limits of Harrisburg — 
named, by Generals Knipe and Williams in honor of the 
Chief Magistrate of Pennsylvania, Camp Curtin, which 
with being the central point of communication, especially 
with the oft-beleagured Federal Capital, made it a 
prominent rendezvous. Our citizens were equal to any 
emergency, and a community which fed gratuitously 20,- 
000 returned soldiers, repel with disdain the insinuation 
made by a malicious correspondent of a New York news- 
paper, that our people charged soldiers ten cents for a 
glass of water. This statement is equally reliable with 
that at the outset of the war, when the same newspapers 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin t 'ounty. 2 1 7 

ignorantly displayed at die head of their columns "I [ar- 
risburg protected by the Federal gunboats.'' 

From the commencement of the war, the charity of the 
citizens was unbounded and without stint, the doors ol 
hospitality freely opened, and to our honor be it said, 
two citizens, Messrs. John B. Simon and Eby Byers, es- 
tablished the Soldiers' Rest, where the sick and wounded 
patriot, on his way homeward, found rest, and refresh- 
ment, and gentle care. Thousands were kindly minis- 
tered to, and until the "boys came marching home" the 
good work went on unabated. In every cemetery and 
graveyard within the borders of Dauphin County lie the 
remains of her brave and true sons, while in the cemetery 
at Harrisburg - the crass grows green over the graves of 

0000 o 

Union and Confederate soldiers from far-off States. In 
all the struggles for life, for liberty, for right and for the 
Union, Dauphin county has been in the van. But these 
dark days of our country have passed like "a dream that 
has been told." May the lesson taught be heeded by 
those who come after us — that the Union of States is not 
a rope of sand which may be broken at the will of any 
section. 

The first newspaper enterprise in the county was by 
Major Eli Lewis, but even its name and date of issue arc- 
lost. The first permanent effort, however, in that line of 
which copies are extant, was The Oracle of Dauphin, 
and Harrisburg Advertiser, the initial number bearing 
date October 20, 1792, John Wyeth, editor and proprie- 
tor. Its forerunner was probably The Harrisburg . Xd- 
vertiser. The history of newspaperdom at Harrisburg is 
eventful as it is interesting. When the town became the 
capital of the State, which it did in 1812, unnumbered 
ventures were made in that line. Nearly all tell the 



218 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

same story — premature decay. In i 830, with a popula- 
tion of a little over 4,000 inhabitants, Harrisburg con- 
tained twelve printing offices, six book binderies, pub- 
lishing eleven newspapers and one periodical, with an in- 
vested capital of over seventy-three thousand dollars. 
Of course that was not the era of railroads and tele- 
graphs, and newspapers could spring up, and live a 
while and be extinguished without serious loss. The en- 
tire circulation of all these papers was not equal to 
either one of the daily issues of the Telegraph or Patriot. 
The subject of internal improvements was one which 
early commanded the attention ol the citizens of Penn- 
sylvania, and one hundred years ago, as now, communi- 
cation with the western country was the great aim ol the 
business men of Philadelphia. The first effort was the 
removal of obstructions in the various streams, and 
especially that of the Susquehanna river; and although a 
considerable amount of money was eventually spent in 
improving the navigation thereof, the result was far from 
satisfactory. Previous to the Revolution, (1774,) the at- 
tention of the Provincial Assembly was called to this 
matter, and as a preliminary, it was proposed to lay out 
a town or city on that stream. John Harris, the founder 
of our city, immediately gave notice of his intention of 
laying out a town, which seemed to quiet the movement 
of undoubted land speculators. The Revolution coming 
on, such enterprises, if ever seriously considered, were 
abandoned. No sooner, however, came peace, than the 
business activity of the people sought out new channels — 
roads were made, attempts at slackwater navigation ven- 
tured on — until finally the Pennsylvania canal, from Co- 
lumbia to Pittsburgh, opened up an avenue to trade, and 
brought prosperity to all the towns on its route. On 
none had it better effect than Middletown and Harris- 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 219 

burg, and the former place at one period was destined to 
retain a supremacy in population, enterprise, wealth and 
influence. It was a great lumber mart; the Union ca- 
nal, and its admirable location, always made, it a rival to 
the Capital City. 

Previous to the opening- of the Pennsylvania canal, the 
transportation facilities of the town were confined to 
Troy coaches or stages for passengers, and Conestoga 
wagons, great lumbering vehicles with semi-circular tops 
of sail-cloth, drawn by six stalwart horses, for goods of 
various descriptions. This was expensive — and the com- 
pletion of the public improvements was an eventful era 
in the progress and development of this locality. Real 
estate advanced, commission and other merchants estab- 
lished themselves on the line of the canal, rope and boat 
manufactories were erected and various enterprises inau- 
gurated, giving new life to the town and thrift and pros- 
perity to the people. Several lines of passenger packets 
were established, and it was considered a wonderful thing 
when four packet boats arrived and departed in a single 
day. The consuming of three days and a half to go to Pitts- 
burgh beoran to be deemed slow, and the building: of rail- 
roads opened up another era in the development of the 
country. In September, 1836, the first train of cars entered 
the limits of Harrisburg over the Harrisburg, Portsmouth, 
Mount Joy and Lancaster railroad. Following this effort, 
other rapid transit enterprises were carried forward to com- 
pletion until at the present time — when no less than one 
hundred trains of passenger cars arrive and leave Har- 
risburg daily tor different points. We give these facts to 
show not only how great the travel, but the wonderful pro- 
gress made in transit. 

Previous to the year [841, the pump or well was the 
only source ol water supply, lor drinking purposes, and 



220 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

the rain-barrel or cistern for other uses. When this is 
contrasted with the present abundance of that fluid, and 
the old fire engines of that day with the ponderous steam 
apparatus of the present, we wonder how the goodly cit- 
izens of forty years ago managed to get along. They were 
not as wasteful as we are ; the river was nigh, it is true, but 
water carriage cost considerable in laree families when re- 
quired for laundry purposes. The most serious difficulty 
was in cases of fire, and frequently the pumps giving out the 
lines were formed to the river, of men, women and chil- 
dren, and the supply secured from thence. In those days 
every one went to the fire; there was work for all, old 
and young — the leathern buckets were required to be on 
hand, and all business was suspended while a conflagra- 
tion was in progress. Far different now. The alarm 
sounds, and we listen to count the stroke — find out the 
location — and, should it be at a distance, we quietly re- 
sume our duties, knowing our presence is not required, 
for the brave and disinterested firemen with their engines 
are there and no fears are awakened as to the result. 
This feeling of security actuates us all, and yet how 
seldom do we think to whom we are so deeply indebted. 
It is the brave fireman who is fighting the mad flames, 
who is endangering his life for our property, and the 
safety, perchance of our little ones. To him is due the 
highest meed of praise — surpassing the valor of him who 
treads the wine-press of the battle-field. All honor to the 
ever-ready, intrepid fireman ! 

The first fire engine purchased by the citizens of Har- 
risburg was the "Union." Contemporaneous with this 
primitive machine were the Hope and Friendship, both 
of which organizations are in the highest state of effi- 
ciency to-day. When their Centennial comes around 
ma)' "we all be there to see." The Citizen, the Wash- 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 221 

ington, the Mount Vernon, the Paxton, the Good Will 
and the Lochiel were organized from 1836 to 1874, in the 
order named. We have alluded to their valuable ser- 
vices. A grateful community will ever stand by them. 

On the 1 8th day of September, 1 841 , the water works 
were completed at a total expense of $120,000 — a large 
sum in those days, but meagre compared with the sum 
expended in erecting the present extensive ones — which 
reach well on to a million of dollars. To no one is this 
community more deeply indebted for the successful car- 
rying out the plan of the original water works than to 
Gen. William Ayres, a distinguished lawyer and citizen 
of Harrisburg, and for many years the president of the 
town council. To his energy, forethought and enter- 
prise, these with other municipal improvements were 
brought to successful completion — and his name and ser- 
vices deserve kindly remembrance on this occasion. 

To notice the various events which have transpired in 
the county and town is the duty of the faithful annalist — 
but time, if naught else, forbids. A summary, however, 
of such as may be of especial interest we recall for pre- 
servation. 

The statistics of the churches have been given by Rev. 
Dr. Robinson. After these organizations the oldest as- 
sociation in the county, ante-dating the laying out of the 
town of Harrisburg, is Perseverance Lodge, No. 21, ot 
Free and Accepted Masons, constituted in November, 
1779, and styled among the records as the "Lodge at 
Paxtang." Its first members were officers of the Revolu- 
tion, and through its existence of nearly a hundred years 
it has enrolled the names of many distinguished in the 
annals of the count)' and State — heroes, statesmen and 

divines, with men of all professions and trades — while /A 

■11 



222 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

charity which has never been a "sounding brass and 
tinkling cymbal" has been without stint. 

Of library companies various attempts were made from 
the year 1 79 1 for a period of fifty years, to establish 
them — all proving unsuccessful. That there is no large 
public library and reading room in our city is far from 
creditable to the intelligence or liberality of our citizens, 
and it is hoped that measures will be taken for such an 
enterprise. It is only by endowment that such will prove 
permanent, and until this can be accomplished proposi- 
tions are useless and of little avail. Society private li- 
braries are not permanent. These have their uses — but 
a free public library will alone meet the wants of a ra- 
pidly-growing and a reading community like ours. Too 
much dependence has been placed in the library of the 
State — which unfortunately has too frequently been one 
of circulation instead of reference. We have a number 
of men of wealth among us, any one or two of whom 
could confer upon their fellow-citizens no favor, nor se- 
cure for themselves more lasting honor, than by the ju- 
dicious founding of a free public library. 

The Lancasterian school system was established at 
Harrisburg by the act of the nth April, 1827, and was 
abolished on the 20th of May, 1834, when the free or 
common schools went into operation. One need only 
take a survey of the magnificent school edifices, of the 
high standing of the teachers and the rapid advancement 
of the children, to fully realize the immense benefits de- 
rived from the Pennsylvania system of education. They 
need no encomium at our hands. The Harrisburg Acad- 
emy established in 1809, is still in full vigor, .and annually 
sends forth its young men prepared either for a higher 
collegiate course, or for the active pursuits of life. 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 223 

The Harrisburg Bank was chartered on the 9th of 
May, [X14, with a capital of $300,000. William Wallace 
was its first President and John Downey, Cashier. It 
first went into operation at the then residence of its 
cashier in Second street, a few doors north-west of Cherry 
alley, where it remained until 1837, when the present site- 
was purchased from the Bank of Philadelphia. At this 
time, in addition, eight banking institutions attend to the 
financial affairs of our community. 

The removal of the seat of government to Harrisburg, 
although suggested as early as 1787, and often moved in 
the Assembly, did not prove successful until by the act 
of February, 1810, when "the offices of the State govern- 
ment were directed to be removed to the borough of 
Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin," "within the month 
of October, 181 2," and "the sessions of the Legislature 
thereafter there to be held." The first sessions of the 
Assembly were held in the court house, and that body 
continued to occupy the building until the completion of 
the Capitol. 

No historical resume of Dauphin county can be called 
complete without some reference to the so-called "Buckshot 
War" of 1838. At the October election of that year Da- 
vid R. Porter, of Huntingdon, was chosen Governor, af- 
ter a hotly contested political canvass, over Governor 
Ritner. The defeated party issued an ill-timed and ill- 
advised address, advising their friends "to treat the elec- 
tion as if it had not been held." It was determined, 
therefore, to investigate the election, and to do this the 
political complexion of the Legislature would be decisive. 
The majority of the Senate was Anti-Masonic, but the 
control of the House of Representatives hinged upon the 
admission of certain members from Philadelphia whose 



224 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

seats were contested. The votes of one of the districts 
in that city were thrown out by reason of fraud, and the 
Democratic delegation returned. The Anti-Masonic re- 
turn judges refused to sign the certificates, "and both 
parties made out returns each for a different delegation, 
and sent them to the Secretary of the Commonwealth." 
The Democratic returns were correct, and should have 
been promptly received "without question." 

When the Legislature met, the Senate organized by 
the choice of Anti-Masonic officers. In the House a 
fierce struggle ensued, both delegations claiming seats. 
The consequence was that each party went into an elec- 
tion for Speaker, each appointing tellers. Two Speakers 
were elected and took their seat upon the platform — Wil- 
liam Hopkins being the choice of the Democrats, and 
Thomas S. Cunningham of the opposition. The Demo- 
crats believing that they were in the right, left out of view 
the rejection of the votes of the Philadelphia district. 
However, when the returns from the Secretary's office 
were opened, the certificate of the minority had been sent 
in, thus giving the advantage to the Anti-Masons. It 
was then a question which of the two Houses would be 
recognized by the Senate and the Governor. 

At this stage of the proceedings, a number of men 
(from Philadelphia especially,) collected in the lobby, and 
when the Senate after organization proceeded to busi- 
ness, interrupted it by their disgraceful and menacing- 
conduct. The other branch of the Legislature was in like 
manner disturbed, and thus both Houses were compelled 
to disperse. The crowd having taken possession of the 
halls proceeded to the court house, where impassioned 
harangues were indulged in and a committee of safety 
appointed. For several days all business was suspended 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 225 

and the Governor alarmed for his own personal safety, or- 
dered out the militia, and fearing this might prove insuf- 
ficient, called on the United States authorities for help. 
The latter refused, but the militia under Major Generals 
Patterson and Alexander, came promptly in response. 
For two or three days during- this contest, the danger of 
a collision was imminent, but wiser counsels prevailed, 
and the Senate having voted to recognize the section of 
the House presided over by Mr. Hopkins, the so-called 
"Insurrection at Harrisburg" was virtually ended. This 
was what is commonly known as the "Buckshot War." 

In the year i860 Harrisburg received its highest cor- 
porate honors — that of a city. Although at the time 
arousing much opposition, yet its subsequent growth and 
prosperity have fully realized the fondest expectations of 
its earnest advocates. In population it ranks the sixth in 
the State, and in manufacturing interests it is the third — 
Pittsburgh and Philadelphia alone exceeding it — while in 
the Union it ranks high among the inland cities. As a 
native of the town we are proud of its prosperity, of its 
importance and its high social position. 

It may not be out of place on this occasion to allude to 
the many citizens to whom this city and county of ours 
are indebted for their position, prominence and influence. 
Within the city's boundaries rest the remains of Gov- 
ernors Findley, Wolf, Porter and Geary. Honored and 
revered in the church were the Reverends Roan, Bar- 
tram, San key, Elder, Snodgrass, Snowden, Lochman, 
Castleman, Cookman, I )eWitt, Winebrenner, Berg and 
Maker. Among the physicians were the Luthers, Ag- 
new, Simonton, the Wiestlings, Fager, the Roberts, 
Reily, Hock, Orth, the Rutherfords, and the Seilers, with 
others celebrated in their day and generation. Of mem- 



226 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

bers of the bar, the names of Graydon, Patterson, Shunk, 
Douglass, McCormick, Elder, Fisher, Kunkel, Forster, 
M'Kinney, Wood, Alricks, Ayres, Rawn and Briggs pre- 
sent themselves. Of valued citizens, representative men, 
the Harrises, Maclays, Hanna, Hamilton, Berryhills, Wy- 
eths, Hummel, Beatty, M'Clure, Buehlers, Espy, Sloan, 
Graydon, Downey, Shoch, Fleming, Bergner, Bombaugh, 
Kelker, Beader, Bucher, Cowden, M'Allister, Potts, Boyd, 
Kean, the Gilmores, Rutherfords, Grays, Aliens, Halde- 
mans, Elders, Cox, Ziegler, Forster, with hundreds of 
others, may be named — the worthy ancestors of promi- 
nent Dauphin county citizens of the present. In this 
Centennial anniversary let us do honor to their memo- 
ries, recall their names, as we emulate their virtues. 

Let us not forget on this occasion that within the lim- 
its of our county of Dauphin were born Lindley Mur- 
ray the grammarian, William Darby the geographer, 
Rev. William Graham the founder of the now cele- 
brated Washington and Lee University of Virginia, Com- 
modore David Connor, of the United States Navy, Al- 
exander M'Nair, the first Governor of Missouri, with a 
long list of statesmen, divines and soldiers, representa- 
tive men in the homes of their adoption — honored when 
living and revered while dead. 

The townships of Peshtank, Lebanon and Derry cov- 
ered the territory within the bounds of the counties of 
Dauphin and Lebanon in 1729, when Lancaster county 
was formed. From the time of the organization of the 
former county until 181 3, when Lebanon was separated 
therefrom, the townships were as follows, with date of 
erection: Paxton, 1729; Lebanon, 1729; Derry, 1729; 
Hanover from Derry, 1737; Bethel from Lebanon, 
1739; Heidelberg, 1757; Londonderry, 1768; Upper 



Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 227 

Paxton, 1767; West Hanover, 1 7S5 ; East Hanover, 
1785; Middle Paxton, 1787; Swatara, 1799; Annville, 
1799; Halifax, 1804, and Lykens, 1810. When Lebanon 
county was created, the townships of Lebanon, East and 
West Hanover, Heidelberg-, Bethel and Annville were 
lost to Dauphin. Since that period there have been 
erected: Susquehanna, 181 5 ; Mifflin, 1 819; Rush, 1820; 
{ackson, 1828; Wiconisco, 1840; Lower Swatara, with 
new lines for Swatara, 1840; South, East and West Han- 
over, 1842; Jefferson, 1842; Washington, 1846; Reed, 
1849; Conewago, 1850, and Williams, 1868. 

The different boroughs and villages were laid out as fol- 
lows: Harrisburg,i 785; Middletown,i 755; Hummelstown, 
1762; Dauphin, 1826; Millersburg, 1807; Halifax, 1 794; 
Gratz, 1805; Berrysburg, 1871; Lykens, 1847; Highspire, 
1 81 4; Linglestown,i765; Rockville, 1839; Fisherville,i854; 
Wiconisco, 1848; Williamstown, 1869, and Uniontown, 
1864. Many of these towns were settled years previous- 
ly; but the plans were not officially recorded until the 
year noted. 

At the time of the organization of the county of Dau- 
phin, it contained a population of nearly 1 6,000, although 
in 1790, when the first census was taken, the number was 
only 18,177, due probably to the emigration of great 
numbers of the Scotch-Irish, who removed either west- 
ward or southward. In 1800 — 22,270. In 18 10 — 31,- 
883. In 1S20 — 21,653, a decrease, owing to the separa- 
tion from it of the county of Lebanon, February 16, 18 1 3, 
which by this census had a population of 16,975. ^ n 
1830—25,243. 1111840—30,118. In 1850— 35,754. In 
i860 — 46,756. In 1870 — 60,740. In 1870 — at least 75,- 
000. 



228 Historical Sketch of Dauphin County. 

Of its 233,835 acres of land — 61,249 acres, or almost 
one-fourth, is unimproved. The valuation of farm 
property, $20,000,000. As a farming community, how- 
ever, Dauphin, owing to the large amount of untillable 
land, comes far down in the list of counties in the State. 
And yet the portion of the county lying between the 
Conewago hills and the Kittatinny mountains contains as 
highly cultivated and productive farms as any in the 
United States. Thrift and intelligence characterize the 
staid "Dutch" farmers of Dauphin, and they vie with any 
community in all that appertains to enterprise and pro- 
gress. In manufacturing industries Dauphin is the 
sixth. Allegheny, Berks, Luzerne, Montgomery and 
Philadelphia alone surpassing her. The earliest indus- 
trial establishment in this locality was the "nailery" of 
Henry Fulton in 1 785, although we must give precedence 
to the enterprise of the "noted Burney," who, five years 
previous, at his residence "in Upper Paxtang," manufac- 
tured counterfeit coin. His establishment was soon 
closed, however, the owner "sent to Lancaster goal," 
and, although "he left a great quantity of his cash in the 
hands of several," he never returned to claim it or renew 
the labors of his manufactory. Fulton's establishment 
was only a little remote from a "smithy." To look now 
at the industries of Harrisburg and the county of Dau- 
phin, the progress within the last fifteen years is really 
wonderful, apart from the great contrast with fifty years 
ago. The number of manufactories of iron, alone, its 
furnaces, foundries, machine shops and nail works, form a 
list as gratifying to the citizens as it is surprising. The 
Pennsylvania steel works, the Lochiel iron works, M'Cor- 
mick's, Wister's, Dock's and Price's furnaces at Harris- 
burer, besides the Cameron at Middletown, one at Mana- 
da, and another near Dauphin. The Harrisburg Car and 



Historical Sketch of Dan pliiu County. 229 

Machine works, with a similar establishment at Middle- 
town, Hickok's Eagle Works, Wilson's, Jennings' and 
numberless other foundries scattered all over the county. 
These only represent the iron industries; time prevents 
an enumeration of the other sources of wealth. The 
coal mines of the Lykens Valley, with its boundless 
treasures, the development of the entire county by means 
of the various railroads projected or running through it, 
are destined to bring our county of Dauphin in the van 
of mineral wealth. The future will open up the riches 
hidden as yet from our view if the enterprise of its citi- 
zens but will it. 

And now, fellow-citizens, in the hope that this brief 
historical record of the transactions of our locality may be 
acceptable to you and the people of my native town, 
county and State, I can only wish that in the coming hun- 
dred years their crowning glory may be the superior in- 
telligence, the virtue and the integrity of their citizens, 
the love and loyalty of the people. Through Providence 
our fathers founded an empire great and grand. % May 
their descendants, by the same benign and Divine influ- 
ence, transmit the glorious heritage to the latest posterity. 



•js 



GENERAL INDEX. 



PAOK 

Allen Peter 11 

Antietem and Gettysburg ss 

Academy, Harrisburg 92, 95 

Arks 100 

Addresses 149 

Dr. Robinson 150 

Mr. Hamilton 1 •'.:'» 

Dr. Egle IT!) 

Assessments. . 15,16,17,18,19,20,22,32 

Ben\vhill Andrew 32 

Husse Christian :'><> 

Berks County 68 

Boroughs 133 

Conestoga Indians 11 

Chambers* family 14 

Churches 15 

Finley's 34 

Derrv 152 

Paxton 152 

Hanover 153 

Harrisburg 153 

Reformed 153 

Lutheran 154 

Methodist 155 

Episcopal 156 

Roman Catholic 156 

Bethel 157 

Baptist 157 

do Free 157 

United Brethren 158 

Jews 158 

Societies 159 

Court, early 15 

Canals 106 

Coal 113 

Cities 12:! 

Centennial Celebration, 1876.... 14!) 
Dauphin County, description of, 5,8,12 

Duncan's Island 7 

Description of, 143, 146 

Donegal 1 :> 

Dauphin, Formation 58, <»* 

Sec Townships. 

Boundaries 109 

Soil ltd 

Manufactories 112, 116 

Coal LIS 

Products. ..111. 117, to 120 

Acreage 118 

Value. lis. 120 

1 ron value !'•*•• 



PAGK 

Dauphin Borough II.' 

Port Lyon 1 12 

( Ireensburg 112 

Description 112 

Value 14:: 

Early settlers 10, 17 

Donegal 13 

Elder Rev. John 25 

Education Ill to 98 

Ecclesiastical History, by Rev. 

Dr. Robinson 150 to 162 

French Wars 21 

Porster Thomas 24 

Fort Hunter 47, 50 

Manada 47, 52 

Brown 47, 52 

Halifax 47. 4!). 51 

Fourth of July. 1876 14!) 

Galbraith James 29 

Harris" Ferry 23 

Harrisburg 12:S 

Site 12:: 

Harris House 124 

Hamilton House 124 

Ferry 125 

Borough 125, 126 

Courts 126 

Court House 125. L26 

Town Council 125 

Louisburg 125 

Pillory 126 

Grand Jury 127 

Prothonotary 127 

Sheriff 127 

Horses, stealing 127 

Sickness 127 

Seal of < i-overnment. . 128 

City 12s 

Population 128 

Buildings 138 

Value of Lots 129 

Banks 130, 131 

Churches 131 

Schools 131 

Gas 131 

Railway 132 

Hummelstown 139 

Laid out L39 

Early settlers 139 

Swatara < Ireek. . . 139 

Population 140 



232 



General Index. 



PAGE 

Hummelstown, Value 140 

Highspire 140 

Halifax 147 

Indian owners 6 

Leni Lenappe 6 

War 21 

Peace 37 

at Conestoga 39 

Lebanon County 74 

Linglestown, description of 147 

Lykens, description of 148 

Mexican War .' 87 

Middletown 133 

Situation 133 

Proprietor 133 

Trade 134 

Portsmouth 134, 135 

Incorporated 1 35 

Emaus School 135 

George Frey 135 

Churches 137 

Hotels 188 

Lodges 138 

Markets L38 

Population 139 

Value 139 

Millersburg 140 

~ First settlers 141 

Trade 141 

Proprietor 141 

Incorporated 141 

Schools, Churches. . . 142 

Oldest House 14 

Officers of the Revolution, 168, 169, 
170, 175. 17(5 

Paxton 15 

Quebec List of Soldiers. . . . 164 to 166 

Peed Adam 31, 34 

Revolution 54, 55. 56, 57 

Religious Progress 39 

Roads 99 to 105 

Rail Roads 7, 8, 106 



TAGE 

Revolutionary History, by A. B. 

Hamilton '..163 to 17S 

Review of the History of Dauphin 

County. byDr.W. II. Egle, 17!). &c. 

Susquehanna Indians 9 

Shawanese Indians 9 

Scotch Irish 12, 13 

Stewart Lazarus 39, 46 

Smith Matthew 41 

Stage Coaches 104, 105 

Townships, Derry 59 

Peshtank 60 

Lebanon 60 

Hanover 61 

Bethel 62 

Heidelberg 63 

Upper Paxton 64 

Londonderry 65 

E. and W. Hanover. 65 

Middle Paxton 68 

Harrisburg 69 

Annville 70 

Swatara 71 

Halifax 73 

Lykens 73 

Susquehanna 76 

Mifflin 77 

Rush 79 

Derry, Londonderry, 79 

Jackson SO 

Lower Swatara 80 

Wiconisco 81 

S. & E. Hanover.... 82 

Jefferson 83 

Washington 84 

Heed 85 

Conewago 85 

AVilliams 86 

Traders 15 

Turnpikes 80 

Weiser Conrad 25 

Whiskey Insurrection 87, 212 



INDEX TO DAUPHIN COUHTY SURNAMKS. 



.A. 

A. lams IS, <):', 

Agnew 225 

Aiken IT. is 

Ainsworth 19, 20, 32 

Albert 32 

Ale >rn is 

Alexander 13 

Alleman 216 

Allen 15,60,66,83.93,175,208,226 

Allison 13,15,16,28,156 

Alricks 226 

Anderson 13,28,32,206 

Andrews 13,19,20 

Ankel 20 

Armstrong.. 16,17,22,101,167,189,190 

Atkins... 22,189 

Aungst 83 

Awl 127,176,211,216 

Ayres 221,226 

Bachman L9 

Bailey 130 

Bakestose 1 75 

Han.' L3 

Bannon 32 

Haines IK) 

Harnett L9, 32, 35,55, 175,204 

Ban 93 

Baum 139 

Hash,, re 32,83 

Haskins IS. 1 | |.l 15 

Beard is 

Heat tv 35, 226 

Bell 19,20,22,32,35,189 

Beswick 15 

Berg 225 

Bezallion 8,180 

Binnagh 165 

Black. 15,16,22,25,165,190 

Blackbui □ 16 

Blessing 56 

Benner 25 

Bertram 15 

Bergner 226 

Bennetl 32, 161 

BeiTyhill 31,93,127,174,211,213 



Header 226 

Holianan !•"> 

Bollinger 165 

Bombaugh 97,176,213,226 

Bomgardner 175 

Boon 16,20 

Bowman 16 

Bowen 20 

Boyce '■>'■'> 

Boyd. . .13,15,17,22,92,94,164,167,170, 
176,190,205,208 

Bradley IT.") 

Branden IT.") 

Brewster 20 

I ii iggs 226 

Brightbill ■••■....19,175 

Brisban 170 

Brooks 92 

Brackan 13 

Bradin 16 

Brains 15 

Bratchey 16 

Brewer 13 

Brown 15,18,19,20,32,93,175,211 

Brownlee 15 

Bruner 32 

Brunson 127,211 

Bryson ^ 

Bucber 226 

Buehler 226 

Burd 50,56,174,204,208 

Burke 93 

Hurt 15 

Byers 175,216 

G 

(alder L05 

Caldwell 16,17 

Calhoun 

( ami r,,n 87,124,215 

I ampbell 13,15,16,17,22,190 

Candor 16 

( arbach 165 

i OO 

Cassel 83 

Carothers 13,16,55,204,207,214 

m 17,18,22,127,167,189,211 

Cathcarl 20 

< lartlidge 15 



234 



Index to Surnames. 



( lavenaugh 1 65 

( 'astleman 225 

Cavit 17 

( lhamberlain 93 

Chambers 15,16,17,22,101,190 

Chartier 15 

( Jhesney 175 

Clanne.au 20 

Clark 13,16,1 7, is, 19,20,55,64,93, 

127,175,204,206,211 

Clatt 19 

Cleck 32 

Clemson 156 

Clenan 32 

Clendenin 13 

Cochran 1 7, 18,22. 105,167,175,189 

Collier 17 

Collins 13 

Color 22,189 

Conner : 93, 105, 220 

Conway 17 

Cook 13 

Cookman 223 

Cooper 17,19,32,127,21 1 

( lopenheffer 55,175,204 

Cosh 17 

Cotter 13 

Coulter 93 

Cowden 127,169,171,175,211,226 

Cox 174, 175, 20S, 220 

Craig 19,22,31,190 

Crain 127,169,200,211,214 

Crawford 19,22,167,175,189 

Crosby 20 

Cross' 164,168 

Crouch 127,105,108,109,174,175, 

208,211 

Crow 165 

( 'rum 83 

Cunningham 15,19,20, 1 65 

Cuoit... 22, IS'.) 

Cut-ran 156 

Curry 17 

T) 

Daily 18 

Darley 226 

1 >avenport 15 

Davis 17,03,210 

Dean 139,165 

DeArmond 32 

Dentzel 93,94 

Detwiler 216 

Devebaugh 93 

Devinny 17 

DeWitt 153,225 

Dickey IS.35 

Dickson 19 



Diven 93 

Dixon. . . 20,55,93,127,165,204,205,21 1 

Dobbins 19 

Dock 225 

Down Hi 

Downey 223,220 

Downing 15 

Doughteman 140 

Dougherty 17,18,22.105, IS!) 

Douglass 220 

Dugan 17,18,22,189 

Duncan 17,93, 144 

Dunlap 15 

Eastland 101 

Ebv 17 

Egle 57, 123, 165, 179 

Elder. .25, 35, 47, 72, 153, 167, 175, 1 70, 
177, 191, 202, 205, 214, 225, 220 

Endless 101 

English IS 

Eppert 03 

Erwin 29 

Espy 55, 167, 204, 226 

Eversofe 175 

IF 

Pager 225 

Farling 83 

Fanwell 32 

Parrel 03 

Fedderhoff 214 

Feely 165 

Ferguson 32, 93 

Ferree 76, 175 

Finley 34 

Findley 225 

Finney 29 

Fishburn 56 

Fisher 93,133, 226 

Fleming 18, 22, 83, 117, 180, 226 

Folsom. Ill 

Forrest 170, 176, 208 

Foster 17 

Forster....l3, 18, 19, 22. 24, 93, 167, 
174, 175, 176, 189, 190, 226 

Fortenbach 79 

Fox 82. 130 

Frederick 32, 33 

French 19 

F'rey 135 

Fridley 93 

Fry 32 

Fulton 13, 15, 03 



Index to Surnames. 



235 



Gr 

Gabriel 18 

Galbraith. 15,17,18,22,25,29,30,93,190 

Gamble is 

Gantz 1!) 

( ;;n is 154 

Gardner 15 

Gaston 18 

Geary 225 

Geiger 93 

Gibbons 175 

Gibson 13 

Gilchrist 127,167, 1 75,21 1 

Gillespy 17 

Gilliland 19,32 

Gilmore 92,93,226 

Gingrich IT 

Gish 139 

Given 18 

Class 93,176 

Godfrey 17 

Gordon 18,32 

Gourley 20(i 

Graham 19,20,22,25,32,93,175,176, 

190,208,226 

Gray 18,167,226 

GraybiU 93 

Gratz 148 

Graydon 93,127,168,176,211,226 

Gracy 19 

Green 32,127,142,167,176,203,204, 

•JOS, •.' 10 

Greenleaf 19 

Greenley 175 

Gregg-- 176 

Griffith , 165 

Gross 83 

<Jr<>ve 56 

Grubb 83 

FTa.i1ma.Ti 

Ealdeman 226 

Hal] 13,16,17,59,65 

Hallebaugh 175 

Hamilton. . 93,95,124,150,163,168,176, 
206,207,226 

Hammond 76 

llanna 18,93,94,206,226 

Harper 20 

Harris (frequent. ) 

Hart 1!) 

I [astenrider ITT 

Hasletl 19 

Hantz 154 

Hay 155 

Hays 15.17,10] 



Hayes 17 

Hemphill 17 

Hendrick 13 

I fendersoD 24 

Henry. .. . 19,28,32,93,165,168,173,206 

Hetrick 19,175 

Hill 19,32,175 

Hipsman 176 

Hoak 93 

Hocker 93 

Hoffman 148,175 

Hoge 92,93,175 

[ Hoke 19,20 

Hollingsworth 93 

Hoof.. 20 

Hoover 17,56,82 

Hopple 74 

Howry 16 

Howard 13,15 

I I oyer !i:',, 1 76 

Hudson 93 

Huling 144 

Humes 19,22,32,189,190 

Hummel 56,139, 1 75,205,2 16 

Hughes 13,28 

Hunter 18,22,93,189 

Hursha 93 

Huston 17,18,32 

Hutchison 15,19 



Ingram 150 

Ireland! 16 



Jagel 19 

Jennings 216 

Johnson 17,18,19,22,175,189 

Johnston 19,32 

Jones 127,21 1 

Jordan 93,216 



iec 



Kanix . . . 
Kansey . . 

Capp..., 

Karsnits. 

KlMII. , . , 

Keiffer . . 

Keim . . . , 

Kelker... 
Kelly . . . 

Kelso. . . . 
Helton . . 

K i ■ 1 1 1 n'i 1 \ . 

Keril. . '. 



is 

I'.l 

93 



.121 



,93, 175, 176, 226 

83 

83 

226 

:', i ; 

93 

18 

166 

20 



-Ml. 
. .1! 



236 



Index to Surnames. 



Kerr 13, 15,16 

Ketrin 17 

Kin- 22,93 

Kile 15 

K illinger 175 

Kinney 18 

Kinportz 84 

Kirkpatrick 18 

Kirkwood 19, 32 

Kleim 17 

Knight 214 

Knipe 216 

Kolp 19, 32, S4 

Kuertzer 93 

Knnkel 93, 226 

Knntz 32 

Xj 

Laird 16, 19. 175 

Landis 59, 65, 127 

Larner 17 

Larue 93, 141 

Laner 56, 175 

Latschaw 175 

Lawrence 15, 101 

Leasure 82 

Lee 18, 104, 169, 177. 208 

Lenes 25 

Lenker 85 

Lenox 16 

Letort 15 

Lewis 9::. 217 

Libbins 19 

Lichty 19 

Lingle 147 

Linn 13 

Liniiess 175 

Lochert 16 

Lochman 225 

Lochrey 175 

Logan 17 

Long 16, 20 

Longnecker 17, 79 

Love 18 

Lowrev 13, 15 

Lusk 18 

Luther 93, 225 

Lytle 13,93 

:m: 

Mahen 17 

McAllister 17, 127, 170, 211, 226 

MeArtlmr 17, 25 

McCallen 175 

McCallay 17 

McCarter 22, 189 

McCaver 32 



McCavit 19 

McChesney 93 

McClean 17 

McClellan 13 

McClelland 17 

McClenahan 18 

McClure. .13, is, 19, 20. 22, 25, 32, 126, 
127, 167, 175, 189, 210, 211. 226 

McConkey 13, 166 

McConnel 19 

McCord / 17, 18, 32, 83 

McCormick 18, 19, 175, 216 

McCorey 19 

McCowen 19 

McCreight 18, 83, 175 

McOroskey 93 

McCullough 13, 17, 32 

McCune 15 

McCurry 32 

McDonnell 17 

McElhenny 167. 214 

McElrath 20 

McElroy 18 

McEnally 166 

McEwen 13 

McFadden 83 

Maefarlane 13, 56, 167 

McParland 15. lit. 32 

McGafog 93 

MeGowen 19,32 

McGranaghan 166 

McGrath. 32 

McGuire 18, 32 

Mclntire 13 

McKee 16, 17, 18, 24, 167, 175 

McKeehan 20 

McKennett 37 

MeKinney 18, 226 

McKnight 167 

McMahon 32 

McMullin 16, 22, 93, 189 

McMurray 19 

McMillen 175 

McNair 16, 226 

McNamara 93 

McNealy 19,20 

McNight 17, 18, 19, 32 

McQueen 15, 17 

Mackey 35,124 

Maclay 93,177,226 

Maher 157, 225 

Marish 15 

Mark 20,175 

Marshall 160, 170 

Martin 17, 19, 36. 175 

Matthews 175 

Maurer 32 

Mayer 76 

Mays 18. 22, 101. 189 



Index to Surnames. 



.Means 18 

Mchee 15 

Mellen 166 

Merchant 166 

Mc sick 155 

Middleton 15 

Mileham lTii 

Miller IT. 19, 56, 58, 1 to 

Mitchell 13, L5, 16, 17, 18, 17G 

Monday 15 

Montgomery... 17, 18. 19. 56, 93, 101, 
127, 167, 175, 176, 211 

Moor 13, 15 

Moore 17 

Morehead 82, 83, 214 

Morrison 16, 167 

Morn >\v 18 

Moser 32 

Mosher 19 

Mueller 155 

Mnmma 80, 130 

Murdock 17 

Murray. .18, 64, 93, 168, 170, 175, 176, 
206, 207, 208, 226 

Musser 29 

Myers 20 

Neal 18, 19 

Neety 16 

Xei 17 

Neidig so 

Nichols 157 

Xii "in 16 

Xi's ,n 166 

Noil >n 93 

o 

Old 166 

Orr 17 

Orth 225 

Orvil 19 

Osier 129 



Palmer 

Pancake 

Park 

Parthemorc 76, 

Patterson.... 13, 16, 22. 175. 190, 

Patton 

Pearson 

Pedan 

1*1-11 in 

Peters 

Philips 

29 



17 

72 

in 

\-r, 

226 
13 

25 
i:: 
15 
17 
93 | 



Polk 17 

Pollock 28 

Porter 13, 93, 216, 225 

Porterfleld 19, 32, 166 

Potter 18 

Potts 13, 17, 93, 94, 226 

Power 93 

Price 17 

Promer 19 

Pruder 175 

Patter 32 

Ramsey 13, 16, 56. 93 

Hank 20, 65 

Pawn 226 

Pea 13, 17 

Reed. . .17, 18, 22, 31, 52, 64, 175, 189 

Rees 214 

Reddiek 93 

Peif 17 

Reilv 130, 207, 225 

Pennick 22, 189 

Rhoads 83 

Rice 32, 147 

Ricker 19 

Rickert 81, 139 

Riddle 18,32 

Rinagel 17 

Rippert 19 

Ritchie 93 

Ritsworth 93 

Roan 153, 225 

R( ihertson 175 

Robeson 16, 17, 19. 32, 33. 35 

Robinson 19, 90, 150, 22 1 

Rody 15 

Rogers... 18, 19, 22, 55, 175, 190, 204, 

208, 211 

Roop so 

Ross 17 

Rosebaum L9 

Rowan 17 

Rowland 56 

Roth 19 

Rudy 73 

Russell 10. I '.i 

Rutherford 17, 167, ISO, 225, 226 

Ryan 166, IT5 



Saddler 16 

Sample 13, Hi. 200. •.'07 

Sanders 17 

Bankey 22, 152, 15:;. 190, 325 

Bavage 216 

Savers 17, 93, 175 



2 3 S 



Index to Surnames. 



Schneider 17 

Schwoyer 105 

Scott.' 13, IT 

Schwar 19 

Seiler 17,225 

Seis 20 

Sellers 18 

Seyfert 93 

Shaeffer 147, 155, 166 

Sharp 18, 19 

Shaw 16, 18 

Sheetz 18, 19 

Shellenberger 83 

Shenk 17 

Sherer 174 

Shetlev 20 

Shields 18, 189 

Shirley 32 

Shoch 226 

Shnltz 18 

Shank 226 

Shupp 76, 84 

Shutts 141 

Simpson.... 17, 22, 166, 189, 205, 207 

Simon 217 

Simonton 83, 225 

Sloan 19, 20 

Smith. .13, 15, 17, 22, 39. 47, 164, 168, 
175, 189, 214 

Snoddy 19 

Snodgrass 19, 83, 225 

Snowden 153, 225 

Snyder 174, 214 

Sope 19 

Sops 20 

Sparrow 166 

Spayd 139 

Speer 13 

Speigel 93 

Staffelbeim 32 

Starn 18 

Steel . . .18,22,164,168,174,189,205,207 

Stcen .18, 22, 175, 190 

Steiner 20 

Sterrit 13, 15, 16, 18 

Stevenson 20, 93 

Stewart .... 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 32, 39, 47, 
55,93,191,202,204,211 

Stoever 141, 175 

Stine 82 

Stone 175 

Stoner 20, 169, 206 

Stout 83 

Strean 17, 19, 20, 32 

Stuart 19 

Sturgeon 17, 22, 175 

Swan 19, 32 

Sweeny 93 



Taylor 15, 22, 166,175, 189, 206 

Teaff 22 

Teeder 166 

Terrance 22 

Tice 16 

Tittel . . . : 20 

Thomson 19,20 

Thompson 13,16,19 

Thorn 17 

Thornton 19 

Todd 19, 166, 205, 214 

Toland 18,22,190 

Treebaugh 175 

Tyler 17,18 

Vance 32 

Vanlear 1(! 

Vogelsonst 93 



Waggoner 82, 83 

Wain 17 

Walker 13, 17, 19,214 

Warmer 32 

Warner 166 

Watson 19,32 

Wallace . . . 15,19,20,28,32,167,175,223 

Watt 18,37 

Weaver 93,175 

Welsh 16,18 

Wheeler 166 

White 15,17,18 

Whitehall 13 

Whitley 175 

Wiestling 225 

Wiggins 18,208 

Wiley 16,18,19 

Wilkins 15 

Williams 18,20,79,93,215,216 

Wilson 13,16,17,18,19,32,175,208 

Winebrenner 157.225 

Wingert 93 

Wisan 17 

Witman 210 

Wolf. 32,225 

Wood 15,19,226 

Woodside 175 

Words 18 

Work 13,15,19.28 

Wright 93 

Wyeth 217,226 



Index to Surnames. 239 



IT 



Z 



Zachaiias 154 

Yosl 32 Zeigler 105,226 

Young 19,20,22,174,190 Zimmerman 56 

Zollin er 93 



[Two important errors have crept into Mr. Morgan's sketch, which we 
deem necessary to correct. On page 47, to Matthew Smith is imputed the 
authorship of the preceding letter. It was Janus Smith, of Cumberland 
county. On page 56, the statement is made that ''John Harris, t lie riist 
settler, and father of the founder," "thought the Declaiation premature.'-' 
The fiist settler had been dead upwards of twenty-live years, while the 
founder himself was an early advocate for Independence. 



: ,' : :• v^ilil: ■;:-: ' •■ :- : '^'M'M l?illlIl|Si! : ; 








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